The Tigress And The Lynx
by mr.myxsiple
Summary: When a so-called great hero visits the Valley of Peace, Tigress's life is never the same. Is he someone trying to take her dream away from her, or would he become someone she'd cherish forever? Tigress x OC. Pls review. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone, this's my first non-anime story and I really hope you guys like it. Note: all this stuff takes place _before_ the two movies.

I also wanted to do this anime style so I'm including an opening song I think is relevant. If you know what it is, just play it in your head.

Hope you enjoy ;)

**I DON'T OWN KING FU PANDA**

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><p><em>Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama<em>

CHAPTER 1  
>LIN THE GREAT<p>

Fire. Everything was blurry, but that one thing stood out. There was nothing but fire, a violent, raging inferno so intense, Tigress could actually feel its heat. The only sound was the crackling of whatever the flames were burning. But it wasn't harming her at all; she stood there in the middle of the fire staring before her wondering what was going on.

Tigress then woke up in the middle of the night and sat up upon her mat with a look of confusion on her face. She had that dream again, a dream that she had been having for quite a few weeks now. It wasn't really a nightmare but she was totally puzzled to why she kept dreaming that.

Shaking her head, Tigress went back to sleep; she needed it for more training the following day.

The sun rose on the Valley of Peace signaling the start of another great day. On a fine morning like this, Master Shifu went out for a walk around the temple, a cup of steaming hot tea in his hand. As he did, he spotted a small rolled up scroll near the entrance. Knowing this to be a message, he went on over and read it. After reading it, his cup of tea fell from his hand and onto the floor, shattering to pieces and spilling tea everywhere.

He used his free hand to grip the scroll and continued to stare at it stunned by its message. Forgetting his intended morning walk, he ran back into the temple.

"Tigress! Tigress, wake up this instant!" he yelled hammering on the door of her room. Tigress woke up with a start.

"What is it master?" she said already wide awake and taking a battle stance.

Shifu slid open the door revealing to his student, his panicked state; Tigress noticed the letter in his hand. "Tigress-This letter-I-" he stuttered before running off. Curious, she followed him.

She later found out that he had gotten Master Oogway too and the three of them were now together. "My dear friend, what is with this rush so early in the morning?" The old turtle asked sleepily.

"This letter is the cause of this rush." Shifu answered showing it to Oogway and Tigress. Calming down, he read it out loud.

_To Masters Shifu and Oggway,_

_Good day to you, and I hope this message finds you well. I know this is all sudden but I would like to tell you that I'm visiting the your temple. I'll be arriving at sunset the same day you receive this letter. I'll be disguising my identity when I arrive but I'll show proof of who I am._

_Thanks and good day,_

_Lin_

_P.S._

_Please burn this letter when you're done reading it._

"Master, who is this Lin?" Tigress asked curiously.

Before answering, Shifu went to a lit candle and held the letter over the flame. In just a few seconds, the letter curled up and turned into ash. "That letter could have only come from one particular Lin: Lin the Great."

Tigress was confused. "Lin the Great?"

"Yes. He is the sworn enemy of the evil warlord Geng Wu." Shifu explained. "Whenever Geng Wu decides to attack a village, Lin is always there to stop his plans."

"You seem like a huge fan of him." Oogway said with an amused smile.

"I take it that he's a talented Kung Fu master?" Tigress asked.

"He must be to repel Geng Wu's massive forces. He even defeats local bandits when the need comes." Shifu answered with a hint of excitement in his voice. "But why would he come here of all places? Unless of course..." Shifu suddenly turned tense.

Tigress understood. "Geng Wu must be planning to attack the Valley of Peace." she finished.

"Calm down you two. Nothing is certain yet." Oogway said calmly raising his hand. "It's best we ask Lin himself the reason for his visit."

Shifu and Tigress calmed down. "Forgive me master. Come, breakfast awaits."

With that, they left for breakfast. Right after that, tigress proceeded right away to the Training Hall eager to start some training. She was just about to leap into her favorite training machine, the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion, when Shifu called her back.

"No Tigress. No training for today." he said.

Tigress looked mortified. "But Master-"

"I'm sorry but Lin will be arriving later, and I want the palace spotless when he arrives. You can clean the entire hall while I take care of the barracks." Shifu said handing her a mop. Before she could continue, he ran of with another mop in hand.

Irritated, Tigress began mopping the floor of the Training Hall. "This Lin better be worth it." she muttered under her breath. The hall was very large; it would take hours to clean in completely.

Several minutes later, she looked at the entire hall. Surely, Shifu wouldn't mind maybe just 5 or 10 minutes to train; she could still clean up afterwards. Abandoning the mop she leap into the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion which immediately sprung to life.

The ropes at her feet began spinning making her bob up and down. Getting ready, Tigress dodged the first club that came her way, the spikes just inches from her. Another one came at her with the flat side intending to knock her out cold. Tigress dodged it just as easily as she did the first one.

Again and again, the clubs swung at her wanting either to kill her or knock her out, and again and again she dodged them. The fact that she was bobbing up and down didn't bother her at all. She was totally focused; nothing could distract her now.

At least, except the sound of footsteps. Thinking that it might be her master, Tigress abandoned her training and made it look like she was mopping. To her relief, it was only Zeng who was flying around with a feather duster in his wings. Relieved but still slightly annoyed, Tigress continued cleaning the hall.

It took her all morning, but Tigress was able to clean the entire room. Cleaning wasn't as tiring as her usual training, so she still had some energy left. She left for lunch, but Shifu said to clean the barracks when she was done. Reluctantly, she followed.

By sunset, the entire Jade Palace was spotless; Tigress took a bath before the three of them assembles outside. She, Oogway and a very tense Shifu were right outside the doors to the palace waiting for Lin's arrival. Oogway was smiling calmly, Shifu was sweating slightly, and tigress just eyed the horizon waiting.

Just as the sun touched the horizon, a figure appeared before them and walked towards them. He was tall and wore ragged and messy blue pants and shirt. His left pant leg was shorter than the other; it looked like it was torn off. All the while, he wore a large, brown cloak with a hood that concealed his face.

Silently, the stranger walked towards the three of them; no one spoke. Finally, the stranger was right before them. Pausing a little, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an emerald the shape of an arrowhead and gave it to Shifu.

Shifu gasped as the jewel sparkled. "The emerald of Wong the Feared. Now defeated, the only one who would have it is the one who defeated him." he explained. He looked at the cloaked stranger. "You are Lin the Great."

Lin nodded and used one hand to remove the hood concealing his face. He was a Eurasian Lynx and a rather handsome one too. His fur was light brown with a few black spots on it; his eyes were dark yellow in color.

"Master Shifu, Master Oogway, it's such an honor to finally meet you two." Lin said with a respectful bow.

Shifu and Oogway bowed back. "And it is an honor to be in your presence Lin the Great." Shifu said.

Lin nodded and then eyed Tigress with raised eyebrows. "And you're..."

"Ah, Tigress. Proud student of Master Shifu." Tigress said bowing.

"Oh...A student of Master Shifu? You must be very talented." Lin bowed at her. "There's no need for formalities; you can just call me Lin."

Shifu nodded and smiled. "Ah yes. So Lin, what brings you to the Jade Palace?" he asked.

"Yeah, about that." Lin smiled and paused a bit before answering.

"I'm here...to learn Kung Fu."


	2. Chapter 2

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 2  
>REFLEXES<p>

At first, upon hearing Lin's answer, the three of them were completely surprised. "You...you mean add to the skill you already have?" Shifu asked nervously.

"Nope. I'm here to learn Kung Fu; I have absolutely no Kung Fu experience at all." Lin replied.

Oogway chuckled in amusement while Shifu and Tigress stared at Lin in confusion. "Just a moment, you repelled Gen Wu's forces?" Shifu asked.

"Yes." Lin answered simply.

"And Wong the Feared." Tigress added.

"That's right."

"And countless regular bandits."

"Correct."

"All without Kung Fu?" Shifu finished.

"Yes."

Shifu and Tigress were utterly dumbfounded, but Oogway kept his cool. "So how are still alive up to this day?" he asked.

"I er...have good reflexes." Lin answered meekly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Reflexes." Tigress repeated.

"Yes and I have a rather strong uppercut." Lin admitted.

Unimpressed, Tigress asked: "So why learn Kung Fu now when you can handle yourself?"

"About that. See, some time ago I got into a fight at some diner which was totally not my fault." Lin began. "He knew Kung Fu and I could barely beat him. Gen Wu's been rather quiet these days, and I don't like it, but I've decided to use this time to become stronger. And where better to learn Kung Fu from the great Masters Shifu and Oogway?"

Shifu looked at him in disbelief; this was the great hero he's heard so much about? He didn't even know Kung Fu; he was a sham in his eyes.

"So can you take me in as your student?" Lin asked.

Oogway opened his mouth and was about to say yes when Shifu cut him. "Just a moment Lin. I wish to...test your so called reflexes."

Lin shrugged. "OK. What do you have in mind?"

"Tigress, would you be kind enough to test Lin's capabilities?" Shifu asked his student.

Tigress eyed Lin who in turn looked at her. "With pleasure Master." she said firmly.

"Well then, we should find a more suitable location for this test." Oogway said. They entered the Jade Palace and made their way to a large open arena.

While Shifu and Oogway stayed in the sidelines, Tigress and Lin made their way to the center of the arena. To her, he wasn't as impressive as Shifu made him sound. She was determined to end this fight quickly; with no Kung Fu experience, he didn't stand a chance.

Lin faced her and threw his cloak aside. Tigress saw that he was well built but only slightly. He then entered into his battle stance- left foot forward, knees bent, fists clenched and slightly above the outside of his knees and back arched slightly (kinda like Vaan's stance from Dissidia Duodecim).

"You must be good if you're Shifu's student." Lin commented.

Tigress took her stance and then replied. "Yes, and I'll show you just how good."

"You can make the first move if you want." Lin said.

Tigress couldn't help but smirk at that. "That was a mistake."

Instantly, she lunged at him with the intent of knocking him out with one blow. Now close, she aimed a solid punch that shattered hundreds of wooden dummies to smithereens right at his face. Lin's face didn't change at all despite the fact that her punch could give him a concussion.

What happened next happened incredibly fast. At the last second, Lin brought up his right hand and swatted Tigress's wrist upwards. The force of it caused her fist to move away from his face and into the air.

"Oh, do you have a question?" Lin asked playfully seeing her raised hand. Tigress looked from her raised fist to Lin eyes widened. He just deflected that punch like it was nothing! Not giving up yet, she launched a lightning fast kick at him, but he stepped backwards and dodged it easily.

Growling slightly, Tigress unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks all with the intent to hit Lin. None of them did; Lin either deflected them or dodged them every time. "Why, he certainly has potential doesn't he?" Oogway asked Shifu who was staring on shock that his student couldn't hit an inexperienced guy.

"I was once told that my reflexes were sharper than a sword. Do you really think so Tigress?" Lin asked as he continued to dodge and deflect. Tigress growled because she agreed. "You have your Kung Fu, and I have my reflexes; if you ask me, what makes you win a fight isn't what you've got but how you use it."

She aimed a punch at his stomach; this time, Lin caught it with his hand. His face tensed from the pain of Tigress's punch, but he ignored it. Tigress saw his uppercut coming; she knocked his first downwards and used her blocked hand to backhand his head. Lin ducked and Tigress did another kick but he jumped backwards and avoided it.

Both of them were panting. "You are strong Tigress; I expected this much from a student of Master Shifu." Lin said wiping sweat off his forehead. "Now, it's my turn to go on the offensive."

With a loud cry, Lin charged at her. This time, their roles were reversed; Lin punched and kicked as much as he could, but Tigress was able to block each of them. As she did she realized that his speed and strength were pretty impressive for someone who doesn't know Kung Fu, but she knew she she could handle him. If only she could just get one good in hit...

Lin attempted a jab at her head; Tigress ducked and did a leg sweep. It missed, but Tigress stood up and aimed a punch to his chest. Lin caught the punch with both hands but was pushed back slightly. Trying to forget the pain, he tried kicking the side of her head, but Tigress caught his leg, spun him and sent him flying. Lin crashed a few feet away and Tigress felt hopeful that she might actually win this.

"I'm not out yet!" Lin shouted getting to his feet. They charged at each other again. Lin dodged her next hit by sliding between her legs. Now behind her, he tried kicking her back but Tigress spun clockwise and did a kick with her right leg which knocked his leg and did two punches to his head. Both were deflected, and Lin tried kicking her only to have his foot caught.

Tigress raised her elbow ready to smash it into Lin's knee cap. Lin pulled his leg free just in time and aimed another jab with his right arm. Tigress deflected it downwards and swung the back of her other hand towards his face, but Lin blocked it with his other hand.

Now Tigress was really pissed off about not being able to hit him. Evading a kick, she jumped backwards and paused a bit. Both of them were really tired now, and Tigress decided to finish him off already. With a loud cry, the two of them charged at each other.

"Enough!" Oogway shouted, and both fighters froze. Tigress was just half an inch away from slamming her paws painfully into Lin chest. Looking down, she saw his fist just inches away from her jaw. She then saw Lin's face with a smirk on it.

"I've seen enough. Lin, we would be proud to take you in as a student." Oogway said approaching him.

"Thank you master. I'll look forward to it." Lin said with a respectful bow.

"But-but-but-but Master-!" Shifu stammered.

"No buts my friend. I have already decided." Oogway said cutting Shifu off. "Come Lin, we've much to discuss."

As he walked away, Lin turned to Tigress and extended his paw. "By the way, that was a really good fight. I hope I become as good as you one day Tigress."

Tigress looked from his paw and then to his face. Scoffing, she pushed his paw away and started walking towards the barracks. Confused, Lin left and met up again with Oogway.

"What's her problem?" he asked the old turtle.

Oogway smirked a little. "She just needs time to get used to you. She could use a friend."

Lin looked over his shoulder and found Tigress's retreating figure. "A friend huh? Sure hope I can be her friend."


	3. Chapter 3

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 3  
>FIRST DAY<p>

Tigress was still mad when she reached the barracks. Entering her room, she slammed the door loudly and went over to her closet. In the bottom most drawer, she found her set of dominoes which she still kept since the day Shifu first gave it to her.

Hoping that this would calm her anger like it always does. However as she tried setting them up, the sound they make when they hit the floor sounded like a blocked punch or kick. This only fueled her anger which kinda defeated the whole purpose of the dominoes.

"How could he have held his own against me!" she thought to herself. She felt like she was going to break the domino she was holding, but she stopped herself before she could.

Getting frustrated wouldn't help her now. The only thing she could do is keep training and, given enough time, she might actually be able to hit him.

"Training...training...that's all I need." she muttered to herself.

She then heard footsteps which came from outside. Turning around, she saw a silhouette of Lin walking across the barracks to the room right in front of Tigress's. As he slid his door open, Tigress stood up and opened hers; Lin heard it and turned around.

"Oh, hello Tigress. I've been given the room right in front of yours." Lin said.

"Yes. I can see that." Tigress replied. Then came a very awkward silence during which they just stared at each other.

"So...Lin." Tigress said breaking the silence. She just remembered that he was a lynx. "Very original name you have there."

"Speak for yourself." Lin said with a small chuckle. "So Tigress, how long have you been a student here?"

"Since I was a child." she answered.

"Then you must be very talented. I really hope that I can reach your level one day." Lin said.

Tigress turned around and stepped into her room. "Your training starts tomorrow correct? I have to warn you though, Master Shifu isn't easily impressed."

"I'll keep that in mind then." Lin said with a nod. "Thanks for the advice."

Without answering, she closed the door; Lin shrugged and closed his. Tigress was eagerly anticipating Lin's first day tomorrow. How would he fare against what Shifu has in store for him? Sure he warded off Geng Wu's forces, but he said himself that he could barely beat a Kung Fu practitioner. With these thoughts in mind, Tigress put aside her dominoes, her anger forgotten.

* * *

><p>The next day, the morning gong sounded. Shifu was in the barracks when that happened, and at that instant, Tigress appeared out of her room with a quick: "Good morning Master." Shifu was always impressed by her punctuality, but looking to the other side, Lin was no where to be seen.<p>

Shifu pressed his lips together in disappointment. "Tigress, would you please wake Lin up." he said leaving the barracks.

Tigress went across the hall and slid the opposite door open. Lin was still fast asleep with his mouth slightly open. With an annoyed sigh, Tigress nudged his shoulder with her foot.

"Time to wake up or would you like to miss breakfast?" she said. A few seconds later, Lin began to stir.

"M...Morning Tigress. You're up already?" he asked with a yawn.

"You're supposed to wake up and greet Master Shifu when the gong sounds." Tigress pointed out.

"Really?"

"Yes, and Shifu wasn't impressed just now."

"Oh." Lin hastily got up. "Sorry about that. Anyway, we'll be having breakfast first I take it?"

Tigress nodded, and after Lin fixed up his bed, left for breakfast. When that was done. Shifu led him to the Training Hall courtyard. Fifty wooden dummies were scattered around. "I will see what you're capable of first." Shifu said taking out an hourglass. "First, I will time Tigress how long she takes to defeat each dummy and then you will do the same."

Tigress stepped forward and Lin grinned at her. She just shrugged him and got ready. Shifu cried out: "Go!", and while the sand of the hourglass fell, Tigress got to work.

Her first punch on her first dummy smashed it to pieces. "Ironwood trees." she thought realizing that that was the wood the dummies were made of. She'd been punching them for years and it almost didn't hurt anymore...almost.

Not pausing even for a second, she moved on to another one and kicked it to smithereens. She closed in on a third and did a leg sweep causing it to fall, but she caught it and flung it into five other dummies destroying them all. She then ran forward, jumped onto the shoulder of another dummy and flung it upwards. Landing, she launched herself at several more dummies and took them out. The one she flung into the air was almost about to hit the ground. Seeing this, Tigress ran towards it and slammed her paws into its chest sending it into another group of dummies and destroyed them.

"Time!" Shifu said when the last dummy had been felled by Tigress. The ground was strewn with wood chips, sawdust and broken dummy parts, and Tigress was barely tired. "One minute fifteen seconds. Excellent time Tigress."

Tigress smiled satisfyingly and walked towards Lin saying: "Good luck.", but it was to challenge him. The dummies were replaced, and the floor was cleaned; Shifu turned the hourglass over as Lin took his stance.

"Go!"

Like Tigress, Lin took off and punched the first dummy he reached. It was knocked over instead of shattering to pieces like when Tigress did, and he also felt some discomfort; the ironwood that made the dummies was harder than he had expected. Brushing it off, he jumped and did a round house kick to the side of another dummy's head, knocking it over.

Tigress and Shifu watched as he continued to knock more dummies over. They already saw his first problem: his stamina. He was starting to get really tired even though he only knocked over ten dummies. Plus, his knuckles and feet were sore from hitting the dense wood. He actually paused for a few seconds. And idea struck him, and he got to work.

He ran to the first dummy he could find, and, instead of hitting it, he picked it up and carried to to the center of them room. Eyes widening with surprise, Tigress and Shifu continued to watch as he did the same to every other dummy. In the end, he had a long line of dummies in the middle of the room. Going in front of the first dummy, he gave it a simple kick making it fall backwards and topple the dummy behind it. The whole line fell like dominoes while Lin just stood there watching it.

The last dummy fell, and Shifu said: "Time! One minute and thirty seconds."

Lin was panting. "So what does that say?" he asked.

"You have a long way to go." Shifu said putting the hourglass.

"Really? I beg to disagree." Oogway said showing up.

"Master?" Shifu asked. Oogway walked towards Lin.

"Shifu, what did you observe from this little test?" the old turtle asked.

"I was mainly trying to see Lin's strength master." Shifu replied. "Judging from this test, he needs to work on it.

Oogway smiled at him and then to Lin. "I have been observing your test Lin. Yes, your strength isn't as much as Tigress', but I saw something else. I saw creativity, intelligence and the ability to work certain situations in your favor."

"You...you really think so?" Lin asked.

Oogway nodded. "You lack strength, but is that all Kung Fu is? No it isn't. Lin, your style may be primitive and lacks form but given enough training, I'm certain you will make a fine warrior in the future."

Lin's eyes widened in joy. "Really? Thank you Master Oogway." A smiling Lin said with a bow.

Tigress was just staring at them with a look of disbelief. It took her at least a week before she impressed Oogway, and Lin had done it on his first day! Before she could say anything else, Oogway had already left. Eagerly, Lin asked Shifu: "So what's next Master?"

Not wanting to neglect her own training, Tigress left Lin and Shifu alone. She wanted to beat Lin but how? A thought crossed her mind: speed. Lin's reflexes may be sharp, but if she was faster than his reflexes, he wouldn't stand a chance.

With this in mind, she took off towards the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors. The goal was to safely get through it; the problem was that whenever a club is hit, it spins which spins another set of clubs which spins another and another, etc. One little tap starts a chain reaction of utter pain. Nothing Tigress couldn't handle of course.

Instead of lightly tapping a club Tigress kicked it causing it to spin rapidly and sent the whole gauntlet into a frenzy. Fearless, she threw herself into the fray. Lin, who was nearby still training with Shifu saw this and looked for a few seconds. "Whoa." he said quietly as her arms and legs were nothing but blurs as she deflected every club that went her way.

Reflexes kicking in, he ducked as a bamboo wielded by Shifu stick sailed over his head. "Focus Lin!" the master shouted. Lin took one last look at Tigress before resuming his training.

* * *

><p>"So how was Lin's first day?" Oogway asked Shifu over dinner.<p>

"Remarkably impressive." Shifu said eying Lin. Tigress, who was too busy with her own training to notice Lin's, decided to pay attention. "Lin's progress was...I don't know how to describe it. I gave him the basics, and his improvement is just remarkable."

The feline was about to take a drink when she heard this. She lowered her tea cup and stared at Lin who was directly across her. He just smiled nervously and shrugged. Oogway turned to him too and then to Shifu. "Really? Perhaps you should start giving him the a few scrolls; I'm sure he will find them useful."

If he really was ready for those scrolls, she would need extra work.

Dinner ended. Tigress got up to leave for the barracks. Lin got up too but instead went to Oogway.

"Master, can I ask something? It's more of a request actually." Lin said.

Tigress didn't hear the rest because she had already walked away. Maybe he was asking to already be given the scrolls or something else. Reaching her room, she pulled out her mat and went to sleep only to be bothered again by her dream about fire.

Meanwhile...

"Here we are Lin, the town records." Oogway said showing a large room filled with shelves. Each shelf was filled with countless scrolls and parchments. "Recorded here is everyone who has ever lived or even stayed briefly in the Valley of Peace. I hope you find what you are looking for."

Lin nodded and thanked him before his master left. It would take him nights to go over all these records, but he had to do it. He felt a large lump in his throat. Closing his eyes and swallowing hard, he whispered: "Please...please be in here..." before entering the room.

Hours later...

Exhausted, Lin wasted no time lying down and going to sleep. He hadn't found yet what he was looking for, but his spirit remained unbroken.

Lying down, he tried to sleep since he'd be needing it for training the next day. He couldn't sleep however and kept tossing and turning. Lying on his side, he sighed and spoke softly.

"Underneath the sun or underneath the moon..."

He paused and waited, but no reply came making him sigh sadly. Back then every time he said those words, someone would reply. Without anyone around, he decided to finish it himself.

"Underneath the sun or underneath the moon"

"Whether we both feel joy or both feel gloom."

"I'll be by your side both in good times and in bad."

"I'll smile when you're happy and weep when you're sad."

"What we have is a bond eternal and true."

"A bond unlike anything else, a bond between me and you."

"As long as you're there and always will be,"

"I can take absolutely anything the world throws at me."

"And I will never give up on you. And I will never."

"Let anything part us for our bond is forever."

Silence, cold, empty and lonely silence, lingered after his finished. He hated it so much, having to recite that poem alone, yet it was the bond he mentioned that kept him going this whole time. As much as he hated saying it alone, he had to remind himself of what he had to do.

Lin clenched his fists tightly. "I'll find you...I swear I will...Even if it kills me..."


	4. Chapter 4

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 4  
>TIGRESS'S DREAMS<p>

The morning gong sounded like it always did. What made it different was that Lin was able to make it out of his room to greet his master despite being half a second slower than Tigress. Shifu was more pleased at this than yesterday. Turning around, the three of them headed off to breakfast.

"Damn, slept at midnight." Lin said with a yawn.

Tigress eyed him with curiosity. "Have you been studying scrolls all night?"

"What? No I haven't. I was...looking something else up."

Tigress thought she had no business with whatever he was doing, so she dropped the topic. Lin on the other hand hadn't found what he had been searching for. His hope wasn't crushed yet; he hasn't completely searched the records meaning that there was still a chance. He'd already planned to return there again that night, and, if necessary, he'd return the next night and the next night and the next night...

He really would find what he's searching for even if it kills him.

Breakfast ended rather quickly. Tigress went back to the gauntlet causing Lin to think: "She's been favoring that lately; I wonder why." Shrugging, he started his training with Shifu who was carrying the same bamboo stick like yesterday.

"Same as yesterday Lin." the master said. Lin sighed, took his stance, and charged.

"Hey master, you mind if I ask you something?" Lin asked as he dodged Shifu's initial strike.

Shifu raised the stick to block Lin's punch. "About what?"

"Tigress. She doesn't seem like the friendly type to me. Was she always like this?"

Lin did a leg sweep; Shifu used the stick to vault himself over Lin and avoid the attack. Landing, he swung the stick , but Lin spun around and blocked it. "Somewhat." Shifu answered. "I've known her since she was a child. Even then, she had no one to call a friend."

"No friends huh?" Lin though as he continued his training. "She doesn't seem _that_ bad."

Lin continued his training and Tigress went through the gauntlet several times before lunch. After finishing his meal, Lin got up and started heading back to the Training Hall, but Shifu stopped him.

"Lin, you have scrolls to read this afternoon."

"Really? The whole afternoon?" Lin asked. Shifu just nodded and led Lin through the Hall of Warriors and into a room with only a desk, a chair and two whole shelves filled with scrolls.

"Have fun." Shifu said walking away. Lin just looked at the huge amount of scrolls he had to read in disbelief. Sighing, he grabbed a scroll labeled "Basics", sat down and started reading.

The scroll was filled with paintings of different postures with captions underneath each one. Lin looked out the window and sighed; the afternoon had just begun, and Tigress was probably back on the gauntlet again. He turned back to the scroll and started studying.

It wasn't difficult for him to study; it was just that we would rather go back to the record room and continue searching. He was tempted to many times, but he resisted it. He could always just go back there that evening...and go to bed at midnight without finding what he was looking for...

"Study Lin. You're not going to get better by thinking of personal things." he thought to himself with a shake of his head. He turned back to the scroll and continued studying.

He did find the scrolls somewhat interesting. Every now and then, he'd stand up and try to imitate a stance or move he read about. Late in the afternoon, Tigress had come to check on him and found him practicing out a move.

"Oh Tigress, good thing you're here. You mind if you hold up this scroll?" Lin asked.

"I don't see why not." she replied. Lin handed up the scroll and she opened it up revealing a painting of a lynx performing a move.

"Alright, let's see now." Lin muttered taking a stance. "Countering a kick...countering a kick..." He imagined a kick being aimed right at him. Copying what was said in the scroll, he swung his left arm down knocking the imaginary kick downwards. His intention was to immediately spin and hit with the back of his right hand, but he spun around to fast and lost his balance causing him to stumble and fall down a bit.

"It's alright; I'm fine." he said getting up. Tigress watched him repeat the move with same results. She found his attempts quite amusing but kept that to herself. A few more failed attempts later Tigress started smiling slightly but held the scroll up to conceal her amusement. Lin tried the move again and ended up slamming his right heel into the leg.

He cried out in pain, and Tigress let out a single laugh but disguised it as a cough. It would've fooled anyone but not Lin. He tried and failed again causing Tigress to bite the inside of her cheek to avoid smiling. Finally, Lin tried one last time; he lost balance as usual and (he really wasn't intending this part) ended up crashing into the shelf causing every scroll on it to fall and bury him.

Tigress couldn't help it and started laughing out loud at Lin's predicament. She couldn't tell what was happening; first she's just finished her harsh training to defeat Lin, and now she's laughing at his failed attempt to make a simple move.

"Ugh, finally!" Lin said as he came out of the pile of scrolls. He stood up and dusted himself. "It's about time as well."

Tigress finally stopped laughing. "What are you talking about?"

Lin just smiled at her. "You laughed; I haven't seen you laugh since I got here Tigress. I almost thought you didn't have a sense of humor."

"No sense of humor? Just what did you think of me?" he was asked.

"Well er...You do take your training very seriously." Lin commented. "Very seriously; it seems like that's all you do."

Tigress realized that there was...some truth to that. "Yes well...I have been training almost my whole life, morning, afternoon and sometimes in the evening. It's all I've been doing for years."

"Wow. That's pretty impressive Tigress." Lin said. "But I hope you don't mind if I ask you why?"

Tigress raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean why?"

"Well, I'm trying to get stronger so I can end Geng Wu's blood lust for good. So what about you?"

Tigress stared at him realizing that his dream was completely different from hers. She supposed that there was no harm in telling him what motivated her training. Wordlessly, she gestured him outside, and he followed.

She led him to the Hall of Warriors; stopping in front of the moon pool she pointed upwards. Lin looked up and gazed in awe at the high, green ceiling with swirly cloud designs. At the center of it was a magnificent statue of a golden dragon with a scroll in its mouth.

"What is that?" Lin asked not taking his eyes off the scroll.

Tigress gazed at it too. "My dream is to become the Dragon Warrior, a legendary Kung Fu master who will have access to the Dragon Scroll and obtain unimaginable power."

The lynx turned his gaze to Tigress. "You sure are a big dreamer."

Tigress sighed. Just right above their heads was the thing she'd wanted so much. All of her training, all of her hardships, all of her sacrifices was all to get this one scroll, to become the Dragon Warrior.

"I think you can do it." Surprised, Tigress looked at Lin who shrugged. "What? I think you'd make a great Dragon Warrior. I mean, you've got skills, determination...ferocity." He hesitated a little at that last word. "But anyway, I can tell you're almost there."

She was a little taken aback at his compliment. "What about you? What if you were chosen as the Dragon Warrior?" She couldn't believe she considered that possibility. Lin the Dragon Warrior?

He sighed and looked at the scroll again. "I'd decline." he said simply.

"What? You'd reject an offer as honorable as being the Dragon Warrior?" Tigress asked surprised.

When he looked back at her, she noticed something. He seemed to have changed suddenly; he looked serious, more serious that he had ever been since he arrived. "You've probably heard me being called a hero...But I didn't want any of that. I never wanted fame nor fortune. Think about it Tigress. When I'm called a hero, it means that I'm the only thing standing between an entire village and certain death. It means that if I make one mistake, one error, one wrong move, an entire village dies...I don't like that at all..."

His serious tone puzzled her, making her wonder what kind of past he held. Before she could say anything else, Shifu showed up. "Tigress, I told you to fetch Lin. What is taking you so long?"

With a jolt, Tigress remembered that that was what she was told to do and nothing else. Sure, a lecture about following requests properly was about to be handed out by her master. Ugh, how she hated those kinds of lectures. She started thinking up an excuse, but then Lin cut in.

"Sorry about that Master. It's my fault. I asked Tigress to help me out with something. I chatted a little with her after that and lost track of time."

Tigress was surprised by his cover up for her and slightly comforted by the fact that Shifu's lecture would be directed to him instead of her. The lecture however, didn't come. "Very well. I called because dinner is ready."

"Ah good, I'm starving. Who knew pouring through scrolls was so tiresome?" Lin said with a small chuckle. Tigress noticed the transition from his serious tone to his usual one. Together, the three of them left for dinner.

There was one thought in Tigress' mind that time. The fact that Lin didn't want to be the Dragon Warrior increased her chances of being chosen. Of course, she would have to beat him first to get there. He was just one obstacle blocking her from reaching her dream.

She was confident that she could beat him. All the time she'd been spending on the gauntlet made her strikes and blows faster, faster than Lin's reflexes she hoped. Yes, Lin was going down, and with that comforting thought, she went to bed and slept.

She dreamed about her future fight with Lin. He put up a fight and didn't want to give up like he would normally do, but she overpowered him in the end. Turning away from an unconscious Lin, Tigress found Shifu and Oogway praising her skills and just when they were about to announce her as the Dragon Warrior-

The dream changed. Confused, Tigress saw her surrounding melt and fade to black. Soon, the fire dream that she had seen for many night appeared. "Damn fire dream." she thought. She hoped that she would get back to her old one.

But then something different happened. The dream became clearer and Tigress saw it differently. This whole time, she thought she was in the middle of a dark abyss with flames all around her. Now, the dream cleared up; though it was still blurry, she could tell what was going on.

She was in the middle of a burning town she didn't recognize. Every building around her was burning violently; everyone in it would surely be burned to death. What a horrible way to die she thought. She looked around for water, for something, anything to stop the flames, but she remained where she was. She hated it, this feeling of uselessness, of not being able to help at all.

There were too shapes in front of her, but the dream was so blurry she couldn't tell what they were.

And then she heard shouting. Someone was yelling at her, but she couldn't understand what the shouter was saying. Again and again the shouts came, and she still couldn't understand it nor anything else in that dream for that matter. Panic seized her, and she woke up with a gasp.

Sweat covering her forehead, Tigress wiped the sweat from her brow and thought. She thought that dream was just harmless, but now...it's more serious than she thought.

What did these dreams mean? Why did she dream of a town where she had never been to before? What caused that much destruction in that town? And just who was that mysterious voice calling out to her in the middle of the chaos?


	5. Chapter 5

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 5  
>SOMEONE TO BLAME<p>

"Steady, steady, steady." Tigress muttered as she went through the gauntlet. Three days had past since her dream; thinking that more training would put it out of her mind, she did it vigorously each time.

With a loud cry she made it through the gauntlet for the hundredth time. Panting, she turned to Shifu who had left Lin to do some solo training to watch her. He gave her a nod. "Tigress, you are getting better and better each time you go through the gauntlet." he commented. "However-"

"Damn, I hate it when he says that." Tigress thought, and her master continued.

"You seem to be neglecting other forms of training. I trust that you have a good motive?'

"I do master; it's Lin." she answered with her eyes on him. "I want a rematch, another chance to defeat him."

Shifu raised an eyebrow and looked at the gauntlet. "So you have been focusing on the gauntlet to make your blows faster than his reflexes."

"Correct master. I think I'm more than ready to take on Lin again."

Shifu crossed his arms. "Lin has been studying the Lynx scrolls already. He has improved since you last fought him."

"I've improved as well. Please, just once more chance master." Tigress begged.

Shifu thought about it for a while and sighed. "Very well Tigress, you may have your match this afternoon."

"Thanks you master." Tigress said with a grateful bow. As her master walked away, she turned her attention back to the gauntlet.

Lin on the other hand was completely oblivious between that exchange; he was just too focused on his own training. He was on the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom which tilted with every movement he made. He couldn't even stand on it without it moving. Needless to say, he was having a hard time. He had just tried balancing on it only to fall flat on his back

"OK. I'll just try again." he muttered. He jumped and landed on the bowl's bottom; pausing for a while, he slowly grabbed the rim of the tortoise and hoisted his feet up to the rim which caused it to wobble again. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his arm forward, propelling his body upwards.

He was now standing on the rim of the tortoise and felt proud about it. But then, he lost his balance and fell backwards...again. Groaning in pain, he saw master Shifu look down on him.

"Lost your balance again?" he asked, and Lin nodded.

"I'm working on my balance master." Lin said standing up. "Think you can give me some help later?"

"Forgive me Lin, but it will have to wait. You have a sparring match against Tigress this afternoon; you'd best ready yourself." Shifu replied.

"Oh..." Lin scratched the back of his neck. "OK then. I guess I should prepare myself."

Shifu left the the hall leaving the two fighters to prepare for their upcoming match. While Tigress worked on the gauntlet, Lin continued his training with the Jade Tortoise. They kept this up until lunch came. They ate hurriedly and proceeded to the courtyard.

Shifu stood at the side to referee the match. His two students bowed at each other before assuming their respective stances. "You both know the rules. If either one of you is unable to fight, then the match is off. Questions?"

"No master." Lin and Tigress said at the same time.

Shifu looked over at the tow of them wondering what the outcome would be. Sure Tigress had more experience, but Lin still had his reflexes. If Tigress' moves were as fast as she said they were, this should be enough to overwhelm him.

"Tigress...don't show any restraint OK?" Lin told her.

His opponent clenched her fists tightly. "I never intended to." Lin nodded and readied himself.

"Begin!"

Lin made the first move; crossing his arms over his face, he charged at Tigress. He saw her punch aimed for his face, he swung his arms outwards using his left hand to deflect Tigress's attack. Not pausing, he swung his right foot at her. She backed up just in time, but Lin stomped his foot and elbowed her chest. She blocked it but was pushed back a little.

Recovering, she jumped and tried kicking the side of his head only for him block it and quickly sink his fist into her stomach. Grunting in pain, she backed up. Glaring at him, she realized that he had hit her for the first time. She saw him regain his stance and got an idea.

She charged and aimed a kick at the left side of his body. He saw it coming and did the same move he had trouble with, and he still had trouble with it. He deflected Tigress's kick but lost his balance again. Tigress took advantage of this and gave him a nice solid kick which sent him flying.

Lin crashed several feet away as Tigress smirked triumphantly at the fact that she had finally hit him, and it looked like it really hurt him. Shrugging the pain off, Lin charged again. He punch with his right hand only to be blocked which was exactly what he wanted. Before she could counter, he pulled back a little and kicked with his left foot. Tigress was forced to let go and back up to avoid it only to have another punch with Lin's right hand aimed at her.

She blocked it again, but Lin countered with another kick. The whole process repeated itself several times; Tigress was beginning to think that he was toying with her. Wanting to break this, she ducked and did a leg sweep. It missed, but, using the momentum of her spin, she jumped and tried another kick.

Lin grabbed her by the ankle and stopped the kick allowing him to elbow the surprised Tigress in the chest, knocking her back a bit. "He has improved." she thought.

She charged at him; Lin dropped to the floor and kicked off in an attempt to dropkick her. She saw this coming and ducked; he sailed right over her; their backs just inches apart. He landed and quickly turned around, but Tigress had moved quicker than he had expected. He blocked her punch, she moved to quickly to counter it.

Lin ended doing what he did the first time they fought: just evading and blocking without getting any opportunity to counter. Shifu saw this and thought quietly that Tigress may overwhelm Lin. Despite the lynx's best efforts, he couldn't get his own hit in.

An idea struck him; when Tigress kicked, he caught her leg and pinned it under his armpit. Hopping on one foot, Tigress tried kicking with her free leg, but Lin caught it and pinned it under his armpit. With a grunt, he began spinning her around several times. His hold was too tight; she couldn't break herself free from it.

"'Round and 'round the Tigress goes! When and where she stops? Well, even I don't know!" Lin cried out. After about half a minute of spinning, Tigress' struggles increased, and Lin was forced to let go. She landed on her feet, but something was wrong.

She was seriously really dizzy. The panting Lin before her rocked from side to side, and the ground tilted. Frustrated, she tried walking towards him, but everything was just moving around so fast; her feet wobbled in an attempt to regain balance.

"It's just what I thought Tigress." Lin pointed out. "You've been spending too much time on the gauntlet meaning that you've neglected other forms of training like the Jade Tortoise or the Clubs which would've helped trained your sense of balance which would probably help you in this situation."

Tigress, who was still dizzy, growled at the truth of his words. Even her master pointed this out! Lin crossed his arms and charged again. Tigress attempted a punch but misjudged the distance to Lin. She was too early leaving Lin to swing his arms outwards and deflect it with his right hand. He followed this up by elbowing her chest before continuing with a backhand to her chest.

Recovering from Lin's blows, Tigress saw her surrounding stop spinning and readied herself to give Lin a world of pain. She lunged and aimed another punch which was blocked. Not giving him any time to counter attack, she used her other hand to grab the scruff of his shirt and threw him over her head.

Lin rolled as he landed. As Tigress charged, he stood up, put his right foot forward and aimed a punch to her chest. She saw this coming and quickly jumped over his fist. She aimed a kick to the side of his head, but Lin used his outstretched arm to block it and tried a elbow counter attack.

"Counter attacks...that's all he's been doing." Tigress thought as she dodged. Lin seemed to be using some kind of counter attack based style which seemed to fit him. His reflexes would surely help him with this style. Then again, she trained well for this fight; taking a deep breath, she and Lin resumed their battle.

Several punch-kick-block-dodge-and counter attack- filled minutes later...

Sweat coated Lin's forehead as he got on one knee to catch his breath. Across him, Tigress was on her feet, panting for she was just as tired as he was. "This is it. He's almost down, and I'm one step closer to being the Dragon Warrior." she thought.

Panting, Lin looked up at her. "Damn you're strong." He stood up and assumed his stance. "Come on Tigress; give me everything you've got."

"With pleasure." Tigress charged and kicked. Lin blocked it and countered with a kick. Tigress backed up to avoid it; Lin crossed his arms and charged. Readying his left hand in case he needed to block or deflect, he pulled back his right fist. Tigress caught his left arm and then his right when he attempted to counter. With both arms in her grasp, Lin tried smashing his head into hers but missed. Tigress kicked his side and didn't let go.

With Lin crying out in pain, Tigress delivered another kick to his other side. Lin grunted and tried kicking her himself. Tigress got hit painfully, let go of Lin and gave him as speedy punch to his chest knocking the wind out of him. Staggering backwards, he saw her perform a leg sweep and jumped which Tigress knew he would do. As she spun, she grabbed his ankle and threw him several feet away.

He crash landed and quickly stood up; Tigress charged and started delivering a barrage of punches and kicks all of which Lin could barely block or dodge or even counter. Several times, he ended up getting punched or kicked; the tide of the battle seemed to be shifting in Tigress's favor.

Shifu on the other hand watched as she became more viscous, more violent. She really wasn't holding anything back as she continued to pummel him. As much as he wanted to see her win and be one step closer to becoming the Dragon Warrior, he couldn't allow her to loose herself like this. "Tigress!"

But she was too busy fighting Lin to hear her master. "Tigress!" Shifu said louder.

Lin deflected a punch and tried to counter, but Tigress countered his counter with a punch to his chest. She didn't give him time to recover and continued her assault. Lin messed up during a block and was punished by a punch right to his chest knocking him flat on his back. Raising his head, he saw Tigress jump high into the air with her fist raised, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Enough!" Shifu yelled jumping onto Lin chest. Tigress's fist stopped inches from her master's face. Her face softened, and she hastily pulled her fist back.

"M-Master I..." she began but didn't finish.

"You lost control again. I had thought you had known self control already. Lin could have been seriously injured." Tigress cringed as Shifu continued to lecture her.

"Master please, may I say something?" Lin said in the middle of Shifu's lecture. The latter remembered that he was standing on his chest and jumped off. Lin slowly stood up and rubbed his aching back.

"If I got injured here, it'd be my own fault not Tigress'" he said.

"What are you saying Lin?" Shifu asked surprised.

Lin sighed, and when he spoke, Tigress noticed that his tone had become serious again. "I understand that you want Tigress to learn self control, but if she's fighting me, and she wants to go all out, then I think you should let her. Look, I'm here training because I want to defeat Geng Wu, and he's not going to hold back, and there won't be anyone there to stop the fight if I'm about to get killed. If I get hurt, it's because I'm not strong enough."

Lin paused for a while allowing Tigress and Shifu to take in his words. "Er...yes well...if that is what you say Lin, then you do need more training. You and Tigress mat have the rest of the day off, but I expect twice your usual effort tomorrow."

"Sure master." Lin said before Shifu left them. He then turned to Tigress. "So Tigress..."

"Don't even talk to me." she said bitterly.

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

She didn't know why she was so upset, but she just was. "Why do you keep covering up for me?" she asked him.

"What do you mean?"

She bit her bottom lip. "Why are you always blaming yourself for everything bad I do?"

"What're you talking about? Are you saying you want to be lectured by Master Shifu?" Lin asked in turn.

"Well, no but I want to be the one who makes the mistakes. I want to be the one who learns from them." Tigress sounded almost angry. "And I can't learn if you say that they're your mistakes!"

"Whoa, calm down a bit Tigress; where is all of this coming from?" Lin asked again.

She sighed in frustration. "I guess I'm just mad, mad at the fact that you're almost at my level even just after a few days! I'm mad at the fact that you may be stronger than me even when I've trained long than you have-"

"I'm not sure if I am stronger than you Tigress; I couldn't even beat you a while ago. Heck, you could've defeated me." Lin countered. "You've gotten a lot stronger since I last time fought you."

Normally, tigress would've liked the compliment, but she was still to mad to acknowledge it. "Lin...the fact that you became almost as good as I am in a short period of time is what really upsets me."

"Tigress, I'm just doing my best to learn from Master Shifu." Lin retorted. "If I'm learning too fast, I guess you really can't blame me for that."

At those words, Tigress knew that he was right, and she was wrong. Her anger gone, she instead felt guilt for the things she said about Lin. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she thought he was...

"But look, I'm sorry if I upset you or anything by taking the blame for everything. Maybe you were right." Lin apologized. "If there's anything I could do to make up for it, I'll do it."

Tigress side and turned towards the barracks. "It's fine Lin. You don't need to do anything."

"I insist Tigress. C'mon, there has to be something I could do." he pleaded.

Tigress looked at him over her shoulder before walking towards the barracks leaving him to wonder how he could patch things up between them.


	6. Chapter 6

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 6  
>MAKING UP FOR THINGS<p>

A excited knock came from the door to Tigress's room, and Lin's voice rung out. "Tigress, I've got it." he said hurriedly.

Tigress, who was busy setting up her dominoes to blow off some steam, stood up and opened the door. "What is it Lin?"

"Y'know how Master Shifu gave us the rest of the day off?" he began. "Well I was thinking, why don't we go down to the village and, you know, just hang out there?"

"...Hang out?" Tigress asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, I'll even pay for dinner. Of course, I don't know much about the village myself, so you could show me around as well. It'll be killing two birds with one stone; what do you say?"

Tigress honestly didn't know what to say. She had never hung out with anyone before as she had absolutely no friends. She didn't even know where to start.

"I...don't know about this." she told him.

"C'mon please, I really want to fix things up between us." Lin said pleadingly.

There was something in his tone that struck her though she didn't know why. The look on his face made her realize that he really did want them to get along happily. She sighed and said: "Fine; I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

He smiled. "Thanks Tigress. I'll just tell Master Shifu where we're going before I prepare."

With that, he ran off. While sighing and scratching the back of her head, Tigress wondered what she had gotten herself in to.

Later that evening...

A knock on her door told Tigress that Lin was ready. After some last minutes preparation she stood up and opened the door only to find Lin wearing his hooded cloak.

"Ready Tigress?" he asked from underneath his hood.

"Er...yes I am." she answered with a puzzled look. Lin smile slightly which Tigress didn't see before leaving the barracks and heading into town.

"Why are you wearing your cloak?" Tigress asked as they descended the unbelievably long staircase down to the village.

Lin turned to her. "It's to protect my identity. Geng Wu has many spies, and if one of them knew I was here, I'd be attacked for sure. As long as I have this cloak up, my the village is protected."

"Doesn't he already know who you are?" she asked.

"Well...yes, but he doesn't know where I am. Also, please don't say my name out loud; if word gets out that I'm staying here for the time being, well...Geng Wu would be here faster than you think." he answered.

Tigress never knew his life was so complicated. So that must the the reason he asked that his letter be burnt. She opened her mouth to ask him something else, but he said: "Well we're here." She looked forward and realized that they had arrived in the middle of the bustling village. Its residents were either going around doing some evening shopping or stopping at a place to eat.

"So...where to Tigress?" Lin asked her.

She thought about it. Then she eyed him from foot to head. "I think we should get you some new clothes. Have you ever changed them before?"

"Well, no. I never had the time to." he answered. "What's wrong with my current clothes?"

"They're ragged, dirty, your left pant leg has its end torn off, and it looks like you haven't washed them in weeks." she pointed out.

Lin laughed nervously. "One week actually. I guess I could use a new attire. So where's the nearest place we could go?"

With Tigress leading the way, the two of them arrived at the villages shopping district filled with different pieces of jewelry and fancy clothes. Tigress had never took interest in those kind of things though many other girls did.

Tigress led him into the first shop they found. The shopkeeper, an old sheep, saw them and walked towards Lin. "Something for you sir?" she asked.

"What made you think I'm looking for clothes?" Lin asked.

"Look down and you'll see." the shopkeeper replied with a chuckle. Lin did so and chuckled himself. "Let me take some measurements, and we'll see what suits you."

She beckoned him to follow her further into the shop. He turned back to Tigress and said: "I might be in here for a while. You just er...wait a while."

With that, Lin left Tigress to get some new clothes. With a sigh, she sat on a nearby chair and waited.

Several minutes later, Lin showed up carrying a leather bag and his old clothes on. "You're not wearing your new ones?" Tigress asked.

"I'll show you later when I can show my face." he told her. He thanked the shopkeeper and left with Tigress who paid for the clothes. "If you ask me, they're very good."

Tigress meant to ask him what he meant, but his stomach grumbled. "Well look at that; I'm hungry. "Want to find some place to eat?"

Tigress patted her stomach. "Yes I am rather famished. We could stop over there."

She pointed at a restaurant not too far from where they were. They walked over there and found table for two. They sat down and took a look at the menu; a waiter showed up shortly afterward.

"And what will you two be having this evening?" he asked.

"I'll have steak. Tigress?" Lin asked.

"The salmon." she replied. The waiter jotted their orders down before leaving.

Lin clutched his side as if he was in pain. "I'm still a bit sore from our match a while ago." he told Tigress.

"Yes I did give you quite a beating." Tigress smirked upon remembering their previous spar. "You've improved since the first time we fought."

Lin reminisced about that first time they fought. "Yes, I remember that fight. It was on the day we first met Tigress. I must say, you did make quite an impression on me when you wanted a match when we just met."

"And what did you think of me during that time?" Tigress asked curiously.

Lin paused for a while as he thought about it. "Well, you struck me as the strong, fierce and silent type who takes their training very seriously. But then I got to know you more; I heard about your goal in life, and it made me realize that, underneath your tough outside, you have an iron will that would never be swayed no matter what."

Tigress blinked in surprise at what Lin thought about her. Lin then nodded at her and said: "Now, may I ask what was my impression on you?"

She had never expected him to ask such a question. Nevertheless, she tried to be honest. "Well, you weren't all I expected from a great hero with your lack of Kung Fu experience and your uptight personality. Honestly, I didn't really think much of you. And when I saw your... unorthodox during your first day, it only furthered my opinion. You're always smiling, always making jokes, always laughing everything off as if it was nothing-"

She paused mid sentence; she could go on and on about those kind of things about Lin, but she stopped herself. "But when we fought a while ago, I realized that you've been taking your training seriously. Well, slightly less seriously than me. You really showed improvement and well..." Her voice dropped at the end of her sentence.

"What was that Tigress?" Lin asked.

Tigress looked slightly embarrassed and blushed slightly. "I'm blushing!" she nearly cried out.

"What were you saying? Don't be shy now." Lin pressed.

She finally sighed and gave up. Not looking at him, she said: "I think you'd...make a great warrior someday..."

Lin smiled at that compliment. "Now that wasn't so hard wasn't it? Thank you for the compliment Tigress, and I still think you'd become a great Dragon Warrior."

Their meals arrived at that point, and they began to eat. Neither of them spoke much while eating; they were each taking in what the other had said. Surveying Lin across the table, she actually felt better about herself after what he said. He really did believe that she could become the Dragon Warrior.

As soon as they finished, Lin payed for the meal and left. "That meal was pretty good." he said. "Too bad it cost me about 90% of my life saving."

Tigress eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "You're poor? I thought being a great hero meant that you had more money to spare." she said.

"Yes well, when I help out a village, I don't ask for money." Lin replied. "I just ask for free food, a place to stay while I'm there and...access to some town lists..." His voice softened as his sentence ended. Trying to ignore the curious look on Tigress's face, he cheered up and said: "It's getting late; we'd better get some sleep for training tomorrow."

She did realize that it was late and agreed with him. Together, they headed back to the palace and into the barracks. Tigress and Lin parted for their respective rooms; the former was just about to go to sleep when she heard knocking at her door. Wondering what Lin could want, she opened it.

"What is it-" she stopped at what she saw.

With his cloak gone, Lin was wearing his new clothes. Smirking, he wore a dark blue shirt with sleeves that reached his elbows; on the shirt was a patter of waves cascading downwards like a waterfall. His pant were black, and on his right thigh was the Chinese character for peace. In her opinion, Tigress thought that he looked...she couldn't even say it.

"Well? What do you think Tigress?" Lin asked.

"What? Well...er...you..." she stuttered and scratched the back of her head. He kept staring at her until she finally said: "You look...cool..."

Lin smile got slightly wider. "Well getting me some new clothes was your idea after all. Thanks for that again Tigress."

Lin yawned. "I think it's best we go to bed already." Tigress said.

"I agree. Well, good night Tigress. I'll see you in the morning." Lin told her. Pausing for a while, she opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something as well, but she hesitated and quickly went back into her room. Lin sighed and, instead of going into his room and sleep, headed back to the town records room.


	7. Chapter 7

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 7  
>THE KABOOM BROTHERS<p>

"Twelve!...Thir...teen!...F...fourteen...F...F...Fifteen!"

With a loud grunt, Lin dropped from one of the Seven-Talon Rings onto the ground. He had been doing chin-ups and finally lost strength after fifteen. Sitting on the ground and panting, he looked up.

"Forty seven! Forty eight! Forty nine! Fifty!"

Tigress, who clearly bested Lin in terms of stamina, dropped down and barely looked tired. "You better shape up or else you'll lag behind." she told Lin.

Lin panted a little. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." he replied. In what seemed like no time at all, he was back on his feet. He jumped and grabbed one of the Seven Talon Rings being careful to avoid the deadly blades on them. He began doing more chin-ups; Tigress jumped and continued her own ones.

Over the days, she had noticed the vast improvement of Lin's skills. He went from a totally inexperienced guy who relied on his reflexes and a rather primitive fighting style to someone who fought with grace and form reaching a level that almost rivaled hers. Of course, all this did was motivate her to work harder; somehow, the feeling of Lin being the reason she wants to gets stronger felt weird.

Trying to ignore that strain on his arms, Lin took a sidelong look at Tigress thinking that she was so much better than him in many ways. She was just so strong, so admirable, so committed to achieving her goal. He felt inspired to get stronger himself just by watching her.

Funny, they were each others' reason for getting stronger.

"Fifty!" Tigress cried out. She let go of the ring and dropped to the ground. She looked up and saw Lin dangling from the ring trying to catch his breath.

"How many have you done?" she asked him.

"T...Twenty five...That's some improvement right?" Lin asked with a small laugh.

He let go of the ring and dropped down. The second his feet touched the floor, a loud boom was heard. Tigress's head immediately swiveled her head towards a window knowing that it came from outside.

"Wow...Maybe I should lose some weight." Lin said patting his stomach.

Tigress turned to him to say that wasn't true, but another explosion cut her off. "What's going on?" Lin said running to the window. Another explosion sounded.

"Tigress! Lin!" The two of them turned around and found Shifu beckoning them to follow him. They followed him all the way to the palace entrance hearing more explosions along the way. There, Oogway joined them looking concerned.

"M...Master Shifu! Master Oogway!" Zeng quickly flew towards them and crashed a few feet in front of them. He hastily stood up and spoke in a panicky voice. "It's bandits; they're blowing up the eastern part of the village!"

"I'll get my cloak." Lin said racing to the barracks.

Shifu turned to his remaining student. "Go Tigress! The valley need you!"

"On it master!" Tigress replied before leaving.

* * *

><p>A sheep was cowering as an armor-wearing alligator lit several sticks of dynamite and threw it into his house blowing it to smithereens. "No! My home! My beautiful home!" the sheep cried out in tears.<p>

"That's wat'cha get fer not paying!" the alligator said kicking the sheep in his stomach. He turned around and saw the villagers cower as a small army of alligators carrying swords and spears showed up.

"None of these wimps wanna give us their loot!" a second armor-wearing alligator similar to the first said walking towards the latter.

"Really?" the first alligator said. "Listen up!" he yelled to the frightened villagers. "Y'all got two options: lose yer loot or lose yer house!"

"And it'll be really easy! Like this!" the second alligator said lighting another stick of dynamite. To the villagers' horror, he tossed it over to the roof of one of the houses.

At the last second, someone appeared on the roof of the house and swung her hand upwards. The stick was knocked high into the air where it exploded harmlessly.

"Hey, who d'you think you are missy!" one of the alligator leaders said angrily.

Tigress leaped off the building onto the street below. She heard someone running and found a hooded Lin heading towards her. "About time you arrived." she told him.

"You're the one who was too fast. Jumping from building to building, maybe I should try practicing that some time." Lin said before turning to the bandit leaders. "Now then, who do you think you are terrorizing innocent villagers like this."

One of the alligator leaders stepped forward. "We're the Kaboom Brothers. I'm Boom and this here's my bro Kaboom."

"We like blowin' stuff up real good." Kaboom said happily.

Tigress took a fighting stance. "You've fought bandits before right?" she asked Lin.

"Yes I have." Lin replied taking his stance. "These seem like pushovers; I think we can take them Tigress."

Boom and Kaboom turned to the rest of the bandits and yelled out: "Get 'em boys!" The bandits charged at the two Kung Fu students who readied themselves to fight.

A spear-wielding alligator attempted to stab Lin's heart. Lin grabbed the spear with his left and pulled the alligator towards him. He gave him a quick punch to his stomach and took his spear from him. He threw the spear which spun around hitting another bandit and tripping him. He ducked as a sword swung over his head and countered with a solid kick. Another sword-wielding bandit came his way; he blocked his arm mid swing and delivered three punches which sent the bandit reeling.

Panting, Lin turned to Tigress who was just watching him amazed. "Hurry up now or you'll be the one lagging behind." he said before running to fight more bandits. Not wanting to be outdone, Tigress shook her head and started taking out bandits alongside Lin.

A bandit tried to stab her with his spear, but Tigress jumped and kicked off his back while hitting the side of his head. She landed in front of Lin and took out two bandits headed his way. She tried punching another bandit, but he ducked. He sighed in relief as Tigress's fist swung over him. At least, until Lin's foot collided with his stomach and knocked him out cold.

"Alrighty then, try this on fer size!" Kaboom yelled tossing a stick of dynamite at them. Tigress and Lin jumped as the dynamite exploded making them off-balance, but they were able to land on their feet.

More alligator bandits came their way. Lin attempted to leg sweep one, but he jumped. He didn't go unscathed however; Tigress jumped, rolled across Lin's back and kicked the bandit aside. She landed with her back towards Lin and saw another bandit come her way. He tried to stab her with his spear, but she twisted her head just before it could hit her allowing Lin to grab the bandit's arm. She kicked the bandit's chest knocking him into the air a bit; this gave Lin the boost he needed to swing him over his head and slam him painfully on the ground before him.

"We've never done combination attack before." Tigress said.

"Well now seems like a good time to try them out." Lin replied. Together, they charged at the Kaboom Brothers. What was left of the bandits tried to intercept them, but they fell easily to Tigress and Lin. Seeing that they were the only ones left standing, Boom and Kaboom unsheathed their swords and charged.

Both of them swung their swords at the same time. Tigress duck while Lin slid under the swords. "Tigress!" he cried; as he slid, she saw his outstretched arm and understood. Tigress gripped his arm tightly and, with tremendous force, swung Lin at the unsuspecting Kaboom Brothers. His feet collided with their armored backs and knocked them forward.

"For bandit leaders, they are rather easy to hit." Lin remarked.

The brothers started to get to their feet. Tigress resumed her stance and said: "Time to end this."

The two groups charged at each other with Kaboom and Lin at the lead. Kaboom attempted to slice Lin's head off, but the latter ducked and countered with a kick that knocked him away. He went after him while Tigress charged at Boom who lit a stick of dynamite and threw it at her. She back flipped, knocking the stick into the air, and launched herself towards the alligator bandit.

The blows she made on Boom hurt despite the fact that he was wearing armor. He swung his sword only to miss his target and receive a painful kick to his chest. He staggered backwards giving Tigress the opportunity to end this fight once and for all. She leaped and delivered a massive kick to the side of Boom's head, knocking him to the ground where he laid groaning.

Tigress approached the fallen bandit leader. "I'd surrender now if I were you." she told him.

Boom looked up and saw something. "Well, I'd dodge now if I were you."

Tense, Tigress turned around and saw a stick of dynamite, thrown by Kaboom, more than halfway towards her. She tried to dodge, but Boom used his sword and made a cut above Tigress's right ankle; he got to his feet and ran away after wounding Tigress. She cried out in pain and dropped down on one knee; she looked up and saw the dynamite already so close to her.

The next second, something large and brown dropped down in front of her. By the time she had realized that it was Lin trying to shield her, the stick had already exploded. The force of it knocked Lin off his feet and sent him flying towards a house. He broke all the way through a wall and crashed somewhere inside the house. Tigress couldn't believe it.

"LIN!"

She hastily covered her mouth. She had forgotten that no one was supposed to know that Lin was in the valley. She looked around; the villagers were gone while the Kaboom Brothers were too busy gloating about what they did to Lin.

"Good shot bro! You done him in real good!" Boom said to his brother.

"Aw thanks bro." Kaboom said flattered. "Y'know, maybe we oughtta-"

Unfortunately for Boom, he didn't get to hear what his brother was about to suggest. Before Kaboom could finish, Tigress, with a loud cry, angrily sank her fist into his armored chest the force of which knocked him away. Kaboom drew his sword and tried to slash at her, but she blocked his arm and gave a painful backhand to his head. Ignoring the pain in her ankle, she kicked the other side of his head knocking him out.

"I'll git you fer that!" Boom cried out as he charged towards her. She stepped back and dodged his first two slashes. He attempted a stab; Tigress side-stepped and brought her elbow down on his hand causing him to release his sword. She grabbed the sword and slammed the pommel on the top of Boom's head. The alligator swayed around a little before collapsing like his brother.

Panting, Tigress dropped the sword as she gazed at the unconscious Kaboom Brothers. She quickly turned away from them and ran towards the house Lin crashed into. Inside she found him lying on the floor hood down and with a burn mark on his chest.

"Lin!" she cried out kneeling at his side. She lifted his head and heard him groan. "Lin, can you hear me?"

Slowly, he turned to her and gave her a small smile. "Tigress, it's OK...I'll overlook it just for now but...it somehow feels nice when you call me by name..."

His eyes traveled downwards. "My shirt!" he cried out seeing it slightly singed. "And you just bought this a few day ago."

Tigress blinked twice and removed her from his head causing it to fall and hit the floor. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Unbelievable." Tigress said shaking her head. "You were just injured, and you care about your shirt?"

"What? I'm alive aren't I? And you're unhurt Tigress, so everything's fine."

True but at what cost? Tigress knew that he had tried to save her by throwing himself between her and certain danger. No one ever did that to her before...

"Is your ankle fine? That cut looks deep." Lin said noticing her wound.

It did hurt but, that didn't bother her. "It's fine. What about you Lin? Can you stand?"

Lin was up on his feet though he groaned as he did so. The burn on his chest wasn't fatal, but it sure was painful. "The Kaboom Brothers?" Lin asked.

"Taken care of." Tigress said looking at their unconscious bodies.

"You took them out all on your own?" Lin turned to her "You truly are something to behold Tigress."

For the second time in her life, she blushed.

* * *

><p>The Kaboom Brothers and the rest of the bandits were taken away. Tigress and Lin reported to their masters who were proud that they were able to save those villagers. Tigress's wound was bound, but Lin's burn still hurt.<p>

Later after dinner, Lin had gone to his room to fix his things when he gasped in pain as his burn ached. At the same time, a knock came upon his door. He opened it revealing Tigress behind it.

"Yes. What is it Tigress?" he asked.

Instead of answering, he handed him something. It was a small, clay jar which contained a thick, light-yellow cream. "What is this?" Lin asked.

"Medicine for your burn. It helped me before when I was still a novice trying the Field of Fiery Death." she told him.

Lin looked from the medicine to Tigress with a confused expression. "Wait, I don't understand. What's this for?"

Tigress sighed and patted her head. Rolling her eyes, she tried to make it clear to him. "Lin, you did me a kindness, and now I'm repaying it." She raised an eyebrow and spoke as if she was pointing out the obvious. "Isn't that what friends do?"

Lin just stared at her. She had said it-friend. She regarded him not only as a friends but as her first friend. She turned around and walked into her room. "Use that and your burn will heal by tomorrow. Good night Lin."

She closed her door and went to bed. Lin still stood there looking down at the small jar. He rubbed a small portion of the medicine on his burn, and it felt incredibly soothing. Lin was smiling from both the relief from the pain and from Tigress's display of kindness.

"Good night Tigress. Pleasant dreams my friend." Lin said. Taking the jar with him, he headed back to the town records' room and started pouring through the scrolls...again.


	8. Chapter 8

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 8  
>A LYNX'S TALE<p>

Thanks to the medicine Tigress gave him, Lin's burn was better by afternoon the next day. He thanked her for it since he never got a chance to the previous night. Tigress said that is was nothing and that she was just helping out a friend.

A friend, that was what Lin was to her. But friend despite being friends, she'd want to stay ahead of him and reach her dreams of being the Dragon Warrior. He was her friend and yet her rival in some way.

For years, she never even considered trying to make friends with someone else. The villagers were always slightly intimidated by her strength. Lin...was the first one to ever try to befriend her. He succeeded despite a few problems between the two.

Lin was her friend, nothing more nothing less. And, as all friends would do, she'd keep an eye on him for his sake.

* * *

><p>It started off like a normal morning several days after the Kaboom Brothers attacked. Shifu was already at the barracks when the morning gong sounded.<p>

"Good morning master!" Tigress said racing out of her room. To her and Shifu's surprise, Lin didn't show up in front of his room to greet his master.

"I'll wake him up master." Tigress said, but when she opened the door- "He's gone."

Her master turned to her. "What?"

Tigress took a few steps back. "Lin isn't here master." Shifu ran over and peered into Lin room. True enough, it was empty.

They wondered where he went. He couldn't have left the palace; his cloak was still there. Maybe he woke up early to do some training before breakfast, but that wasn't Lin's style. As they stood there wondering where he could've gone, Oogway happened to walk in.

"What seems to be the problem?" Oogway asked.

"Master, Lin seems to have vanished." Shifu said.

"Did you see him when you walked here?" Tigress asked concerned.

Oogway did some thinking before answering. "Hmm, no, but I think I know where he is."

A few minutes later...

"Well that answers it." Oogway said with an amused smile.

The three of them were looking into the town records' room. Scrolls that used to occupy the shelves were scattered across the room; it looked like a small storm occurred inside. But the most surprising sigh of all was Lin sleeping on a desk in the middle of the room.

Tigress and Shifu didn't understand. "Lin has been asking for access to this room. He has been going here since his first night here." Oogway explained.

"So that explains why he's always so sleepy in the morning." Tigress thought. What the heck was he doing in here? Taking care not to step on any of the scrolls, Tigress walked over to him.

"Lin...Lin, wake up." she said nudging his shoulder.

Lin groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He then looked right into hers. "T...Tigress..."

With a jolt, he remembered where he was. He looked around which only confirmed his suspicion. He hastily stood up and turned to Shifu. "I'm sorry if I didn't do to bed on time Master Shifu." he said quickly and nervously. "I was er...busy with personal matters. I swear it won't happen again."

The term "personal matters" caught Tigress's interest. "Lin what were you-"

"I'm quite hungry actually. Maybe we should have breakfast early so training can also start early." he said trying to change the topic.

"Lin, what were you-"

But Lin had already left the room quickly and avoided answering. "What is this about master?" Shifu asked.

"Something seems to be troubling Lin. His troubles have led him here to this room." Oogway replied. "As to what he is searching for in here, I haven't the faintest idea."

Tigress didn't know what was going one, but she knew one thing. Lin was hiding something or rather, looking for something. But what could it be? What could make someone so calm act so nervously? What was happening to her friend?

"Lin..." Tigress whispered nervously.

Lin finished his breakfast quickly and started training. Tigress saw him going through the gauntlet and approached him.

"Sorry Tigress but not now. As you can see, I have to focus." he told her when she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong. She knew it was just an excuse to get out of explaining his actions. Besides, with his reflexes, focusing shouldn't really be too hard for him. Tigress tried to pass it off and went to breakfast.

Lin was very quiet the whole day. Every time Tigress approached him, he'd run to the nearest form of training available and get to work saying that he shouldn't be bothered. Being snubbed by him irritated Tigress, but there was concern under that irritation. She wanted to know what was wrong with him, so she consulted Master Oogway about it.

"Hmm, I will try something tonight. Perhaps then he will talk." he said.

Tigress agreed and waited. Soon, it was dinner time, and Lin was as silent as ever. As he ate, Tigress kept an eye on him. Then Oogway decided to try his plan.

"So Lin, how do you think you're fairing in your training?" he asked.

"Oh..." Lin thought about it. "I think I'm making good progress master."

"Indeed, you are far more skillful than you were when you first arrived." Oogway decided to ask it. "Skillful enough to defeat Geng Wu perhaps?"

Tigress saw Lin's face give an involuntary twitch. So the root of his problems was with Geng Wu; she decided to get him to expand on that. "Lin, you never told us what you know about Geng Wu. Please, enlighten us." she asked him.

Shifu, Oogway and Tigress were looking at him. Lin gulped; there was no getting out of this. He took a deep breath. "Well, I guess it would help if he were to attack the valley." Lin cleared his throat and began.

"Gen Wu, is by far the most bloodthirsty warlord in China's history. His goal in life is to water China's soil with its citizens blood. I heard he spent a few years in Japan, and when he came back, he was an incredibly fierce swordsman. His invasions started many years ago, and over hundreds of villages and thousands of lives were lost because of him."

"Why does he do it?" Shifu asked.

"No one really knows." Lin began. "Some say he had a troubled past. Others say that he's doing it for revenge...But me...I think he's just a monster who kills and destroys just because he finds it enjoyable. He's a damn monster, and he needs to be stopped."

For the first time since meeting him, Tigress saw anger in his eyes. This was further supported by his tight grip on his cup. He didn't want to go on; it was just to painful.

"I'm full." he said standing up and leaving. Tigress watched him with worried eyes. She finished her own dinner and tried going to sleep, but she kept thinking of Lin. She got up and tried finding him.

Surprisingly, he found him in the Training Hall. Lin had set up a wooden dummy and was punching it over and over. He heard Tigress approach him but didn't pay attention to her. She went straight to the point.

"Geng Wu...That's what happened to you." It wasn't a question; she knew by the way he reacted when he spoke about the warlord. The frequency and strength of Lin's punches increased.

"I lost everyone I ever cared for to Geng Wu..." Lin punched the dummy harder and faster. "My father Tenshu...My mother Ami...My brother Jin...My sister Lan...and...and...MISHA!"

He punctuated his last word with a punch that shattered the dummy to smithereens which was something he never did before. He stood there breathing deeply and clenching his fists; once again, Tigress saw anger in his eyes, but it was mixed with something else: pain.

Lin left the hall quickly. Tigress tried following him but lost sight of him. She eventually found him sitting under the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. He also seemed to be holding something small in his paws. Tigress went on over to him.

She sat down next to him without speaking. Lin closed his paws around the object which was attached to a string around his neck. But Lin looked into her eyes knowing that she was someone he could trust. He opened his palm revealing a small silver star with two spherical jewels, a ruby and a sapphire, attached to two strings around his neck.

"Misha...she was my best friend...She was a tiger too...so you sometimes make me remember her..." Lin told Tigress. He looked forward. "We were so close ever since the day we first met several years ago...she's been my best friend ever since..."

He sounded close to tears which brought more concern to Tigress. She placed a paw on his shoulder. "Let it out Lin."

He closed his eyes tightly before speaking. "We were just cubs when Geng Wu attacked our village...There were so many deaths...I was so scared...Me and my parents were among the incredibly lucky ones who escaped alive...but I wanted to go back...I wanted to find Misha and take her with us...My mother said it was too dangerous...but I left anyway to find her..."

"When I did find her...Her...I...I saw her parents killed right before her eyes...The ones who killed them turned to her...I tried to tell her to run...But she didn't...instead...it was like she snapped...she went berserk and attacked the ones who killed her parents...I tried calling her again...But then a bandit hit her head, and she collapsed..."

"I nearly passed out...my mother ran back to me and tried pulling me to safety...but I didn't want to leave her...I kept screaming her name...I couldn't just leave her...but I did...me and my family were able to escape unharmed..."

"We went back...to scavenge what we could find...I found the bodies of Misha's parents...but Misha...she wasn't there...Geng Wu always leaves the bodies behind...that meant she was alive...I told my father and mother that I wanted to search for her but they said that it was too dangerous...and then I cried harder than I ever did before...All I wanted was to find my best friend...I mean...was that so wrong? Is it a crime to want that?"

He closed his eyes tightly; two tears leaked out. "We went to a new village and tried to go back to our old lives...Years passed...Every day, I regretted not saving her...I think that was the biggest mistake of my life...I tried to move one...I tried to get over it...but for the second time...Geng Wu attacked my village."

"We weren't so lucky that time...We were in our house and started to evacuate...I let my parents ans sibling go first but before I could join them...our house collapsed on top of me...I blacked out and when I woke up...the attack was already over...My mother...father...brother...and sister...were lying before me with slashed necks...And to make things worse...I was the only survivor that time..."

"I broke down again...I had no one left...no one but Misha...I was positive she was still alive...She was all I had left...And I was all she had left..."

"So I vowed to do two things...to defeat Geng Wu and stop him from taking any more lives...and to find Misha...I searched countless villages for her...but I couldn't find her...And just last night..."

His grip on the star tightened. "I just finished searching here...And she isn't here Tigress!" He spoke in a panicky voice. "I know I'm searching an entire country for just one girl but..." His body started to shake. "Both of us are so lonely Tigress...I don't like this feeling one bit...I...I...!"

And then he started crying. Tigress couldn't bear to see him like this and, without thinking, she pulled him into a hug. Lin cried for a few more seconds. Then his tear soaked face stared into Tigress's.

"Tigress..."

"Don't be foolish Lin; you're not alone." she told him. "Misha may be, but you aren't. How can you still think you're alone? You have me right? So don't you think for a second that you're alo-"

As she spoke, she unconsciously pulled his face towards hers. She stopped just as his face was a few inches away from hers. She quickly pushed him back and resumed.

"And you have Master Shifu and Oogway. Both of them are far wiser than I am; they're advice would probably help you more than mine." she quickly added.

Lin stared at her for a few seconds. He wiped away his tears and suddenly started laughing. "What's so funny?" Tigress asked.

"You. You could just tell me that you're concerned. I think it's rather amusing when you try to hide it." Lin stopped laughing and just smiled at her. "Thank you for hearing me out Tigress. I hope my complaints of my past didn't bore you or anything."

"It was nothing really. You sounded like those emotions of yours were pent-up for years." she replied.

Lin just smiled back and asked her something. "So what's your story Tigress? Unless of course, if it's too personal then you don't have to-"

"N-no. It's fine. I have no problem with it." Tigress reassured. "I came from the Bao Gu Orphanage. I literally had no friends there; I was always so angry and violent that the other kids and even the adults were too afraid to go near me."

"One day, Master Shifu visited the orphanage. He found me and taught me how to control my temper. But even after doing so, the others were still afraid of me. So he adopted me; we've been together ever since."

"So he's also your father." Lin said. He thought about something for a while. "Did you ever get to meet your old family?"

"No...I don't even know who my real parents are." Tigress said. "In fact, Tigress was the name they gave me at the orphanage. They said they found me lying in the rain on the front door. I have no memory of my past, my parents, not even my real name."

Tigress looked away from him. "I don't even know who I am." she said sadly.

Lin silently surveyed her for a few seconds before raising his eye brows. "I know who you are."

Surprised, she turned to him. "You're Tigress aren't you? That's all that matters, or at least, that's all I care about. True, you don't have memories of the past to treasure, but you've got the present right? You're parents, those people at the orphanage, they're your past. Master Shifu, Master Oogway, me, we're your present. You should think positively; don't dwell in the past, and instead cherish the present."

"But what about you Lin?" Tigress asked. "Aren't you still dwelling in the past? Can't you let Misha go?"

"No. Never." Lin replied while standing up. He gripped the silver star tightly and then showed it to her. "See this? It's called a LinkStar. I'm from a family of silversmiths, and it's our tradition that when we come of age, we would make a star like this one."

He held the LinkStar and separated them so that each half had a jewel on it. "In our family, we believe that giving half of your star to someone creates a bond between the you and whomever you gave it too. It symbolizes the fact that no matter how distant, your hearts will always be connected, and you will find each other if you just look hard enough."

Lin cradled his star pieces in his paws. "I plan to give this to Misha when I find her. I said 'when I find her' meaning that I haven't given up on her. Even without this star, our hearts are connected. I will find her even if it kills me!"

Both of them stared at each other in silence. The only sound that was heard was he evening breeze passing through the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.

"Lin," Tigress began. "I'm sorry for suggesting that you give up on Misha." She stood up and walked to his side. "If it's any consolation, I'm here for you if you need me. All you need to do is ask."

Lin looked at her and then smiled. "Tigress, when you become the Dragon Warrior, promise me you won't let it change you. I honestly like you for who you are now."

Somehow, Tigress managed to give him a small smile. "I guess I can keep that promise. I promise that I'll remain the strong, heroic girl you know Lin."

Lin smiled as he put his LinkStar back together before tucking it under his shirt. "I'm glad we had this conversation Tigress. Now I think you should go to bed." Lin said as he sat down. "I think I'll remain here for a while."

"Mind if I join you?" Tigress asked; Lin raised an eyebrow. Tigress looked upwards and said: "It's a pleasant evening."

"It sure is." Lin said as Tigress sat next to him. For what seemed like a long time, Tigress and Lin sat under the peach tree, enjoying what was indeed a pleasant evening with each other.


	9. Chapter 9

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 9  
>THOUGHTS ABOUT LIN<p>

"Ugh. Why did I decide to stay up so late last night?" Tigress muttered frustratingly. Both of them had bags under their eyes; they could barely stay awake as they hopped around the fiery Fields of Death.

"I recall that you said it was a pleasant night." Lin, who was just as sleepy as her, said. "Or were you just concerned about me?"

Tigress didn't reply as she stepped back to avoid a jet of fire that would've burned her foot. She had sat with Lin under the Peach Tree for several more moments. Time didn't seem to matter to her at that moment. She realized that it was a pleasant night but only because she spent it with Lin. That thought made her feel strange somehow.

"Watch it!" She was lost in thought and would've been burned if Lin hadn't shoved her out-of-the-way. She landed safely off the platform. Lin got of too and approached her.

"You should be more careful Tigress. I might have had to give you back your medicine." he said with a smile.

The fact that he keeps smiling kinda made Tigress, who doesn't smile much, do the same. "I'm sorry; I was just thinking..."

Lin patted her shoulder lightly. "Well, maybe you should just stick to thinking about what you're doing. If this were a battle, one wrong step could mean disaster or even death."

It felt weird having someone of a lower skill level advise her, but she greatly appreciated his concern. It made her feel...nice inside. She almost had to resist the urge to smile.

"Er Tigress? Did you hear me?" Lin's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What? Ah, yes Lin." she answered quickly.

"Good. Now let's continue or Master Shifu will think we're slacking off."

Speaking of Shifu, he showed up at the Training Hall. "Tigress, Lin, Master Oogway requests your presence." Tigress and Lin looked at each other before following their master.

The found the old turtle holding a scroll with what appeared to be blood stains in the middle of the Hall of Warriors. Tigress, Lin, and Shifu arrived, so Oogway read the message. "To Masters Shifu and Oogway, for several weeks now, our village of Bùxìng has been repeatedly raided by bandits."

Lin gave a small chuckle at the irony of it (Author's Note: Bùxìng is Chinese for misfortune at least, according to Google Translate). No one else noticed, so Oogway continued. "The village is being attacked even as I write this message. We request assistance immediately. If not well...you'll find this to be the last letter I'll ever write."

Oogway rolled u the letter. "That letter was from the chief of Bùxìng. He clearly needs help."

"We'll leave as soon as we can master." a determined Tigress said.

"Where is this Bùxìng village anyway?" Lin asked.

"Not too far from here." Shifu answered. "If you take a boat, you should arrive by evening."

"Then we should start packing." Lin said. He and Tigress headed back to the barracks to pack.

About half an hour later, they were finished. Tigress and a cloaked Lin bid their masters good-bye and left the palace. They journeyed out of the Valley of Peace and reached large lake. They boarded a small boat and sailed away for their destination.

On the deck, Lin yawned despite it was only the middle of the afternoon. "Maybe we should get some sleep Tigress. If we fell asleep during an invasion, we won't last."

"Good point." She was sleepy as well. "Why don't I go tell the captain to wake us up when we arrive?"

"Good plan. Anyway, I'll see you when I wake up Tigress." Lin patted her shoulder before heading off to sleep. Tigress did what she said she would do and went to sleep as well.

Hours later, a glint of light hit her eyes causing her to wake up. She sat up wondering what it was until she looked outside. It was evening; Lin was holding up his silver LinkStar reflecting the moonlight in the process. She stood up and walked towards him.

"The glint from your star woke me up." she told him.

"Oh. Sorry about that Tigress. I was just comparing it to the stars in the sky." Lin answered while putting the star under his shirt.

He looked skywards and pointed. "Tigress, look." She looked up and saw a white dot dart across the sky leaving a white trail in its wake.

"A shooting star..." Tigress said.

"Well, make a wish? Isn't that customary when you see one?" Lin said.

Tigress looked up and wondered just what to wish for, so she whispered the first thing that came to her mind.

"I wish I would become the Dragon Warrior."

Lin smiled at her. "Wishing for your dream are you? Now I guess it's my turn."

Tigress looked at him. He closed his eyes and told her his wish. "I wish...that I stop Geng Wu once and for all..."

She just stared at him. She thought that he'd wish for finding Misha. Did this mean that he had given up? Lin sighed opened his eyes. "Do you know what I think Tigress?"

"About what?" she asked in turn.

"About the very concept of wishing." he answered. "If you ask me, just wishing for your dreams to happen sound rather boring." He turned and faced the lake. "I think it's much more enjoyable when you try to make them come true yourself."

Hearing that insight made Tigress think that it was rather foolish of her to wish for her dream. "But by wishing, you're constantly reminded of what you want to do." She turned to the lake as well. "It keeps you focused on what you want to do."

Lin chuckled. "That sounds like something Master Oogway would say."

"Well, when you've been around him for years, some of his wisdom rubs off on you." Tigress said.

Lin smiled and paused for a while. "You're happy with them aren't you Tigress?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

He turned to her. "According to you, you spent almost your entire childhood completely unloved by anyone. Now...you have a family..." Lin looked downwards feeling the cold silver of his LinkStar on his chest. "It's incredible feeling isn't it Tigress..."

Though his face was concealed, Tigress knew that he was fighting back tears. She hated it, the sorrow in his voice, and put a paw on his back.

"You're part of our family too. I don't understand why you with your razor-sharp reflexes fail to see what's around you." she told him. "You're not alone, and you never will be as long as I'm around."

Lin just stared at her in wonder. "Tigress, I'm happy I have a friend like you."

For the third time (Yes, she's been keeping count), Tigress blushed in front of him. Unfortunately, this one seemed to be more noticeable, noticeable for Lin to see.

"Are you blushing Tigress?" He chuckled. "It's actually rather cute."

That comment only made things worse for Tigress. She had been called many things-fierce, heroic, strong but cute? She hastily turned away. "I-I'm not! I..." She thought up an excuse. "I-I think that I may be coming down with a fever! My forehead does feel rather-"

"Burning?" she heard Lin suggest.

"Well, not really but-"

"No seriously. Tigress, look!"

He pointed over her shoulder. She turned around and saw several fires and columns of smoke coming from the village of Bùxìng. The boat neared the dock, but Lin and Tigress jumped off before it could stop properly. They headed for the village square, but found it surprisingly empty.

They took their battle stances. "Is the village being attacked already?" Lin asked.

"Yes, and I happen to be the leader of this attack." a voice said. Both Lin and Tigress turned around and saw a grinning ox several yards away from them. He was accompanied by two archers who fired at Tigress and Lin. She caught it while he dodged at the last second.

"Is that it?" Lin asked.

"Don't get too cocky. Now die!" he yelled pointing at them. At the same time, over fifty archers appeared on the roofs of the houses and shot a massive volley of arrows at the two Kung Fu students.


	10. Chapter 10

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 10  
>BATTLE IN BUXING<p>

An arrow hailstorm would've scared anyone but not Lin and Tigress. Sure every arrow was a foot long, had a very sharp arrowhead and fired with enough skill to make it reach top speed, but the two of them didn't falter.

The first two arrows that reached them were caught by Lin. He flipped them over and used them to deflect every other arrow that came his way. He and Tigress ran towards the bandit leader while dodging and deflecting every arrow that came their way.

"Take out the ones on the roofs!" Tigress yelled out. She and Lin nodded and jumped on to the top of the houses on the sides of the street. The archers were still trying to reload when they did that; giving them no time to, Lin and Tigress charged.

Archers fell one by one at their hands. A few were able to get a shot it, but Lin and Tigress were just too quick to hit. The ox bandit leader saw this and called for reinforcements; a large group of wolves carrying axes and spears ran through the streets and climbed the houses to reach the two of them.

Though they were apart, their minds were still working together. A bandit charged at Tigress who evaded his attack, grabbed him and threw him in Lin's direction hitting a bandit that was about to hit the lynx in the process. Lin yelled back a thanks before knocking a bandit out with an uppercut.

They were winning, but the number of bandits forced them to the edge. Knowing that it would be better to fight on the street, they jumped off the building and landed with their backs against each other.

"At least they're not blowing up houses." Lin said as the bandits descended to confront them.

"Don't get too overconfident." Tigress said tensing.

"Relax. Overconfidence isn't how I work. Lin replied with a smile.

Two ox bandits swung their spiked clubs at the same time. Tigress and Lin merely ducked allowing the two bandits to knock each other out. Mirroring each other, Tigress and Lin punched the oxes and knocked them away.

The ran away from each other to confront their own group of bandits. A bandit swung his sword at Lin who ducked and countered with a leg sweep. The bandit was knocked off his feet, but Lin still had plans for him. After spinning, he jumped and did a back flip hitting the bandit's chin painfully.

"Heh, finally perfected that." Lin thought as the bandit passed out. Another bandit tried to slice his chest, but Lin dodged and smashed his opponent's jaw. Two bandits swung their swords at the same time, but Lin saw the narrow space between the two blades and jumped right through it. He landed and did a dropkick that knocked the two bandits aside.

"Quit showing off!" Tigress yelled as he kicked the side of a bandit's head.

"Relax! I swear I'll be careful." Lin replied delivering three punches to a bandit's stomach. The unlucky bandit was knocked into an equally unlucky group of his comrades causing them to topple over.

Lin looked upwards and saw a group of archers take their place on the roof. He ran towards Tigress. "Tigress, boost me to the roof!"

She senses he was coming and ducked. Lin got the message and aimed a punch that soared over her head and hit an oncoming bandit. Tigress stood up, grabbed Lin's arm, spun him a few times and launched him towards the roof.

A few arches saw him coming and launched their arrows, but Lin deflected them easily. He landed on the roof and kicked the first archer he found off the roof. Another one tried hitting him with his bow; Lin backed up and caught the bow when the archer tried to swing again. He pulled the archer close to him and kicked his chest. A few remaining archers fired at him, but he was able to dodge.

The bandit leader cursed. "Send in more reinforcements!" he yelled out loud.

"This's everyone sir! There's no one left!" a bandit replied.

The ox cursed again and yelled at the bandit to fight. Meanwhile, Lin had just finished off the last archers on the roof and saw Tigress surrounded by bandits. He quickly jumped on the head of a bandit and propelled himself to her side. He landed with his back to her.

"The archers are all gone. All that's left are the one and their leader." Lin said.

Tigress clenched her fists. "Good work. Now let's make these brutes regret attacking this village."

"You read my mind." Lin said as they charged. To say that their minds were in sync was an understatement.

Lin delivered three blows to a bandit's chest before jump backwards; Tigress ran under him and slammed her paws into the bandit's chest. Lin landed and quickly spun around to block a blow from another bandit. He delivered a backhand to the bandit's face and threw him in Tigress's direction. She caught him and shoved him into a group of bandits, knocking them down in the process.

There were still a lot of bandits, but with the combined efforts of Tigress and Lin. She kicked the chin of another bandit and knocked him into the air. Lin jumped and kicked the airborne wolf into a group of bandits and took them out.

The entire time Lin was in the air, Tigress was busy dealing with a few more bandits. She did a leg sweep and knocked a bandit off his feet. He tried getting up, but Lin landed on his chest and knocked the wind out of his lungs. Lin then knocked aside two bandits that tried to behead him with their swords.

Tigress kicked yet another bandit aside. "Damn there are a lot of them." she thought to herself. But their numbers were thinning which was a good sign.

Several minutes later...

"And that's the last of them." Lin said elbowing the last bandit standing.

Tigress looked around and saw the large pile of unconscious bandits around them. "We're not through yet. Where's their leader?"

They faced him and he gulped. His eyes darted to he left, and he ran towards the first building on his left. "You can't get away that easily." Tigress yelled going after him but-

"No one move!" he shouted. Tigress and Lin found the bandit leader. However, he was clutching someone with a bag over their head. He put his sword near his hostage's neck. "Lemme out of the village or else-!"

"No! No please please don't kill me!" the hostage cried out in tears.

Tigress and Lin growled angrily and clenched their fists. "Hostages! How could you be so cruel!" Tigress shouted.

"I just am! Now what's it going to be?" the ox replied as his hostage continued to scream and cry. Tigress and LIn couldn't do anything or else he'd make blood spill. Slowly, the ox backed away from them.

Suddenly, he accidentally hit a rock and lost his balance. Tigress saw this opportunity to strike. "Get the hostage!" she yelled at Lin, and they charged.

Lin reached them first. He caught the bandit leader's sword arm and kicked him away while grabbing the hostage away. Tigress made her move against the ox. He evaded her first two blows and tried stabbing her. she knocked his arm away and kicked his chest.

He recovered from the blow and charged again. Tigress ducked to avoid his slash and kicked his chin. He was momentarily stunned from the blow and didn't do anything to stop Tigress from delivering the final blow to his chest. He cried out in pain and hit the ground where he passed out. Just like that, the bandits were all defeated; Bùxìng wouldn't have to worry about them again.

Tigress turned to Lin to tell him that he did a good job. She stopped at the sight of the hostage struggling in his arms.

"No! Let me go! Let me go!"

"Calm down. No on'es going to hurt you." Lin comforted; it didn't seem to work. "Stop struggling for a-"

Lin suddenly cried out in pain as a foot came down on his. Reflexively, he let go of the hostage who fell down and backed away from him. Lin bent down and spoke calmly.

"I won't hurt you." he said as the hostage continued to inch away from him. "I promise I won't hurt you. Just let me take that bag off your head."

Lin held the bag lightly and pulled it off. Underneath the bag was the face of a young female tiger who looked at him with fear with her tear soaked amber eyes. But slowly, the he face turned into a shocked expression as she glimpsed the face under the hood. Her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, she held his face in her hands. She pulled off his hood and stared into his dark yellow eyes.

"...L...Lin...?"

Lin felt pure shock envelop him. He couldn't believe it; he said the only word he could say that the time.

"M...Misha...?"


	11. Chapter 11

Merry Christmas to you

* * *

><p><em>Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama<em>

CHAPTER 11  
>MISHA<p>

"L...L...LIN!"

"MISHA!"

She buried her head in his chest and started sobbing. Lin held her tightly and patted her back as tears began to fall from his eyes. Neither of them couldn't speak for more than a minute; Lin was speechless from the joy that overwhelmed him.

"I've been looking for you!" Lin said parting from her and looking at her face. "For so long...I...I never thought I'd see you again!"

"Lin...you don't know...how lonely I've been!" Misha cried back. "I...I just can't believe you're here!...This's just too good to be true...Am...am I dreaming...?"

Lin held her arms tightly. "This is no dream Misha...I'm real...you're real...We found each other...that's all that matters..."

Misha smiled and hugged him tightly; Lin did the same. After a few moments of silence, he looked up and noticed Tigress.

"Tigress, this is Misha. Misha, I want you to meet Tigress." Lin said as he helped her.

"Er...yes. It's nice to meet you Misha." Tigress said.

Misha smiled at her before turning to Lin. "Those bandit guys have been invading for weeks. No one seemed to be able to beat them. How'd you do it Lin?"

"I've been learning Kung Fu." Lin answered.

Misha's eyes widened in surprise. "Kung Fu? That's unbelievable Lin. I didn't know you had it in you."

Lin laughed and scratched his head. "Yes well; I am rather good at it unlike that annoying wannabe Kung Fu warrior cousin of yours."

Misha gave an annoyed sigh. "I know. He used to keep us all up at night while practicing his 'moves'."

"True, true." Lin said and the two of the laughed at that childhood memory. Tigress watched feeling slightly left out.

"Um...excuse me." a voice said. Lin turned around and saw a timid looking sheep. "Uh, I'm the mayor here. I don't know how to thank you enough for what you've done. Is there any way we can repay you?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." Lin said. "First, you didn't see my face." Lin put his hood back up. "Lastly, I'd just like a free meal and a place for us to stay for the night."

The mayor nodded and thanked him one last time. He led the three of them to the inn Misha was in. In no time at all, two rooms were prepared along with a dinner set for three.

Tigress was usually quiet during meal time, but she seemed to be more quiet than usual. She just sat there silently eating while watching Lin and Misha chat about old times; they really did seem to meet each other.

"And that time we raced each other downhill..." Lin said while laughing slightly. "And we crashed into a fruit stand?"

"We looked so ridiculous!" Misha said laughing along with him.

"Excuse me, 'we'? You were the one with half a watermelon on her head."

Yeah, that was pretty much all they did during dinner; Tigress didn't say a word the whole time. It took a while with all their storytelling, but they did eventually finish dinner. Their rooms were prepared, so they went upstairs to bed.

"Hey Lin, why'd you tell the mayor to forget he saw your face?" Misha asked curiously. "And why'd you put your hood up while we ate."

Lin paused before looking up and down the hallway. "I'll answer but not right here. Let's go to a room first."

Misha nodded and led him to the room she and Tigress would be staying in. Lin closed the door and took off his hood knowing that it was safe. "Misha, before I answer your question, can you also promise to never say my name in public?"

"S..Sure Lin, but what's with all the secrecy?" Misha asked sitting on her bed.

Lin bit his lip hesitating to answer her question. After delaying his reply for several moment, he finally spat it out. "Geng Wu."

At the sound of that name, Misha looked at the floor and didn't speak for some time. "O...Oh..."

Lin sat down next to her and put a paw on her shoulder. "What happened Misha?" he asked.

Misha looked up at him before looked at the floor again. "I...I don't really know what happened to me Lin...I just saw my parent die and then...I guess I just snapped..." She raised a paw to her right temple. "They hit me pretty hard and knocked. They must've thought I was dead. When I woke up...everyone was dead...I got so scared that I ran away..."

"I must have just missed you." Lin said before explaining everything that happened to him. After telling his story, Misha just stared at him.

"Oh Lin, you've been through so much." she said with pity in her voice.

"Not just me. Both of us have been through hell and back." Lin said gloomily. Then, he put on a small smile showing that he was looking at the bright side. "But what matters is that we're together again. I missed you so much."

She looked at him and returned his smile. "Same here Lin."

She reached out and gave him a hug which he returned happily. Sitting on the bed opposite Misha's was Tigress who stared at the two with mixed emotions. She did feel happy for Lin that he'd found Misha, but...she didn't feel completely happy.

Though they hugged for only a few seconds, Tigress felt that it was longer. When they finally parted, Tigress felt slightly relieved. Lin stood up and bade both of them good night before leaving the room.

"So...Tigress," Misha began. "You're practicing Kung Fu with Lin right?"

"What?" Tigress's voice was a little hoarse since this was the first time she spoke all night. She cleared her throat a bit. "That's correct. Lin came to the Jade Palace wanting to learn Kung Fu in order to better combat Geng Wu."

"But...but Geng Wu's just too strong." Misha said. "D'you really think he stands a chance?"

"Don't underestimate Lin. I began training before he did, and even I am impressed with him." Tigress said. She suddenly gave a small grin. "I'm amazed on how far he's gone."

"Wow. By the way, Lin didn't say which room he was staying right?"

Tigress shrugged. "Does it really matter? We're only here until morning."

Misha sighed. "I guess you're right." She yawned. "I'm sleepy; I gonna go turn in Tigress. Night."

"Good night Misha." Tigress replied, and the two tigers slept.

The next morning...

"What's taking her so long? The boat's leaving in just a few minutes." Lin said to Tigress. Both of them were waiting in front of the inn for Misha.

"She said she needed time to change." Tigress added.

"Sorry guys! I'm here!" Misha said running up to them. She was wearing a dark green dress with long, wide sleeves and white pants with a rose pattern.

"Wow, you looked nice Misha." Lin remarked.

"Thanks." she replied with a grin. Tigress on the other hand frowned slightly; Lin never told her that _she_ looked nice. They boarded the boat just in time, and they were on their way back to the Valley of Peace.

Like dinner the previous night, Lin just couldn't stop talking to Misha and catching up on old times. Furthermore, Tigress was as quiet as ever as she watched them converse with smiles on their faces. She tried to look away, to admire the beauty of the lake, but her attention would turn back to them every five seconds; she didn't know why she was bothered so much.

After a while Lin finally parted from Misha and took a stroll around the boat. Tigress saw this opportunity and walked up to him. She tapped his shoulder causing him to turn around; even though his hood was up, she could tell that he was grinning.

"Yes. What is it Tigress?" he asked.

Tigress realized that she didn't know what to say. After some thinking, she said: "Well you...seem very close to Misha; you just can't seem to stop talking with her."

"Tigress, we haven't seen each other in years. Of course I was to spend a little time with her." Lin replied.

"I know, and I understand. You must really care about her don't you?"

Even from under the hood, Tigress could sense that his face had become more serious. "I do Tigress. She's my best friend, and it would just kill me to lose her again."

A long pause followed. Tigress, who ran out of things to say, walked away from him. Lin went back to Misha and started talking with her unaware of the fact that Tigress was watching them.

He was her best friend, but he never said those kind of things to her...


	12. Chapter 12

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 12  
>DESTINY<p>

Much to Tigress's annoyance, Lin and Misha kept talking the entire trip back to the palace. Lin kept bringing up old times when they played and had fun. Misha would just laugh and comment on them which in turn made Lin laugh. He was so happy, yet Tigress didn't like it so much.

They chatted all the way up the stairs to the Jade Palace; it didn't tire Misha at all. When they reached the top and entered the palace, they found the two masters waiting for them at the end of the Hall of Warriors.

"Ah Lin, Tigress, good to see that-" Oogway stopped at the sight of Misha. "And who is this young lady?"

"Master Shifu, Master Oogway, I'd like you to meet Misha." Lin said, and she stepped forward and gave a respectful bow.

Lin explained his past and who Misha is to his two maters. None of them noticed Tigress leave the group and head for the barracks. She entered her room, sat down on her mat and sighed.

It felt good to be back home, but Tigress still felt weird about having Misha around. She seemed like a nice girl, and she didn't do anything wrong, but something about her bothered Tigress. She didn't understand why she'd be bothered by someone so nice and innocent.

Maybe it was because she was spending all her time with Lin...

That thought was so absurd, Tigress nearly laughed out loud.

The sound of two voices chatting told her that Misha and Lin had arrived at the barracks. Lin took Misha to the room to the left of his and opened it. "You can stay here Misha. I'm right next door in case you need me." Lin said.

"Thanks." Misha said walking into the room. She looked around a bit. "It was really nice for Master Shifu to let me stay here."

"Indeed. I'm glad they made that decision." Lin said as he smiled.

Just then, Tigress left her room to meet the two of them. "Oh. there you are Tigress. Misha will be staying with us from now on." Lin said.

"Yeah. I promise I won't get in the way of your training or anything." Misha added.

The training part was fine with Tigress, but the "Misha staying with us" part bothered her for some reason. "Master gave us the rest of the day off. I'm planning on taking Misha to see the village. Interested?"

"Ah...no. I'll just rest here. You two have fun." Tigress said faking a smile.

Lin smiled back. "Fine then. See you later Tigress."

He took Misha's hand and ran off to the village laughing like a little boy out to play with his best friend. Misha just went along with it, but Tigress continued to stare at the place Lin was for several more moments. With nothing else to do, she headed to the Training Hall.

Later before dinnertime...

"Tigress, we're back!" Lin said showing up at the Training Hall with Misha. Tigress was on the Seven Swinging clubs of Instant Oblivion and jumped off to speak with them. She noticed that Lin's shirt was covered in soil.

"What happened to you?" Tigress asked.

Lin looked down at his shirt. "Oh this? Misha and I were chasing each other, and well, she accidentally made me fall down a hill...A very steep hill." Lin rubbed his shoulder.

"You knocked him down a hill?" Tigress turned to Misha who made a defensive gesture.

"Hey, it was an accident. Besides, Lin started it. He's the one who asked if we could chase each other around like we did back then." she explained.

"I know it sounds very childish Tigress, but Misha and haven't done something like that in years." Lin smiled and turned to his best friend. "I really missed the old days Misha. You and I were so happy together."

Misha smiled in return, but it then became a small frown. "What's wrong?" Lin asked worried.

Misha sighed. "Lin, you had fun today right?" she asked.

"Of course I did. The rolling down the hill part was a minor inconvenience, but otherwise, I enjoyed today." Lin replied.

Misha nodded slowly and walked a short distance away. She eyed the training equipment. "Y'know Lin, you don't have to do this."

Lin and Tigress looked confusingly at each other before turning to Misha. "What do you mean?" Lin asked.

Misha turned around and walked towards him. "You could just forget about trying to stop Geng Wu. Lin, he's been killing since before we were even born; I'm sorry, but you don't stand a chance against him. Maybe..." She looked at the ground. "Maybe you could just live peacefully for the rest of your life. I'm sure you'll be all lot happier that way."

Misha paused for a bit. She felt Lin pat her shoulder causing her to look at him. "I've considered that option so many times Misha." he began. Tigress could tell that he was switching to his serious side now. "Believe me, the idea of a peaceful life is very tempting to me."

"I understand that you're worried about, and I appreciate it greatly." Lin took his paw off her. "That option sounds so selfish to me. Even if I could live the rest of my life in peace, there would be others who don't. You know what Geng Wu's done to so many innocent lives. Like your parents..."

"Stopping Geng Wu won't bring them back." Misha told him.

"Stopping Geng Wu would stop more parents from being killed." Lin countered. "I can't choose a life of happiness if it means suffering for others. I have to defeat Geng Wu and end his reign of terror."

"But why you?' Misha looked up; her eyes glimmered with tears. "You're not even an adult Lin, so why you? Why can't it be someone else? Why do you have to be the one risking your life. Geng Wu will kill you Lin! So why...why can't..."

Lin sighed and did some thinking. He had asked himself that question so many times and wondered what the answer was. He had a vague idea though. "Maybe it's my destiny."

The two girls stared at him as he continued. "All of us here have a reason to live right? I was born with a gift, and I had no idea what to do with it. My initial motive to stop Gen Wu's raids was just vengeance...but after a while, I realized that I'm probably the only one who stands a chance against him. Others have tried and failed to save their villages. I'm really the only who can stop him."

"So...that's my answer Misha. Destiny isn't something we know fully, but I believe in it. I'm not sure if it's good enough for you, but it's good enough for me."

Silence ensued. Yet another bit of seriousness had escaped from the lynx that always seemed to smile. The silence was only broken by Tigress. "Why do you have to do it alone Lin?" she asked.

Lin looked at her, and she continued. "I'm here. I can help you Lin. Why do you have to be the only one to shoulder your destiny? I want to fight with you."

"No Tigress." He shook his head. "I understand, but Geng Wu's my opponent. I'm not dragging you or anyone else into my fight. He's already taken my family...if I lost you...I don't think I'd be able to bear it..."

Tigress didn't know how to respond to that. "...Lin..."

Misha walked over and patted his shoulder. "Hey, I'm here too Lin. OK, I'll admit it. I can't fend for myself, but I'm still here for you no matter what."

Lin smiled and placed his paw on hers. "Misha, I'm glad to have a friend like you."

She just smiled back, but Tigress felt uneasy at the sight. There was a slight pain in her chest which she couldn't explain. Fortunately, Shifu had just arrived and announced that dinner was ready. Tigress left quickly, leaving Lin and Misha alone for a while.

When dinner started, Lin was back to normal; the serious boy a few moments ago went back to his old self and was now talking to Misha, his best friend. Every time Tigress recalled that she was his best friend, she would feel the same chest pain as she did earlier; she still couldn't understand what was causing it.

Soon, it was bedtime. Lin was glad that he didn't have to search the records room anymore, so he got a lot more sleep nowadays. He bade Misha good night before entering his room. Frowning slightly, Tigress entered hers and tried to sleep.

But in the middle of the night, she woke up to the sound of screaming and crying. She quickly sat up and realized that it was coming from Misha's room. She heard the door to Lin's room slide open and his footsteps as he hurriedly went to Misha's room. She could hear him speaking to her; Tigress got up to investigate.

She found them. Lin had his back turned to her, but Misha's paws were gripping it tightly. Misha herself had her face buried in his chest as she sobbed loudly. Lin was gently stroking her back while whispering words of comfort when he heard Tigress approach.

"She had a nightmare; I think it's about when Geng Wu attacked our village." he explained over Misha's sobs. He parted from her allowing Tigress to see just how tear-soaked her face was. Slowly, he laid her back on her bed.

"Shh. It's alright Misha. You don't have to worry about anything. Nothing here can hurt you. I'll make sure of that." he said soothingly.

Misha sniffed and gazed at him. Tigress finally had enough and left them. She laid back down and tried to sleep wondering if Lin would offer her solace after her dreams of burning villages.


	13. Chapter 13

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 13  
>THE RACE<p>

The next morning, Misha apologized for waking them up. Lin said that it was no big deal and that if she ever needed him again, all she had to do was look for him. Thanked him for his concern, an act which annoyed Tigress.

Training continued like always. Misha kept her promise and didn't bother either of them as they trained. She was particularly more interested with Lin's training. Her eyes were on him the whole time he moved across the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors.

"Your reflexes are really helping you there huh?" she asked.

Lin smirked as he blocked every wooden arm that swung his way. Clearly, he didn't need to say anything to answer Misha's question. Tigress meanwhile had her legs against the edges of the Jade Tortoise concentrating, trying to ignore all distractions.

Keeping her legs still, she performed several arm movements that would've toppled the large bowl over, but it didn't. Her eyes were closed, but she heard someone walk in front of her. Opening her eyes, she saw that it was Misha.

"Yes?" Tigress asked.

"So...is that thing really hard? I mean, I could never do that." Misha said indicating Tigress's perfect split. Tigress smirked a little at the praise as Misha's eyes traveled around the Training Hall taking in all the dangerous-looking forms of training.

"Uh, hey guys!" Misha said out loud getting Lin and Tigress's attention. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you two or anything but...you guys ever raced through this thing?"

Tigress and Lin got off their respective training devices and approached her. "What do you mean race?" Tigress asked.

Misha raised her arms to indicate the entire course. "I mean, you guys never ran through this thing together?"

"Well, I have gone through the entire course several times." Tigress said crossing her arms. "Lin hasn't done it yet, so I'm unsure how he'd handle it."

Lin turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Was that a challenge Tigress?" he asked. Tigress saw the smile on his face and had the sudden urge to race him.

Together, they bolted to a spot in front of the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion. They crouched down, and Lin turned to Tigress.

"How do you want to do this?" he asked.

"One lap to the end of the hall and back. If you could handle it that is." Tigress added teasingly.

Lin just laughed it off. Misha ran towards them, and Lin looked at her. "Watch this Misha. Now I'll show you just how strong I've become."

That just made Tigress all the more determined to beat him. Both of them looked at the Training Hall before Misha decided to be the one to signal them.

"Go!" she yelled, and they were off.

They hopped on the rotating ropes and began to get their balance. Then, they clubs started to swing at them attempting to either knocked them out or kill them. Lin reflexes helped him evade every single on of them, but Tigress managed well too. It wasn't her favorite training device for nothing.

Misha kept her eyes on them the whole time. She watched them survive the clubs and hop on the Jade Tortoise. The large bowl tilted to one side when Tigress landed on it first. Lin landed on it to causing it to balance out. Maintaining their balance, they walked across the bowl without it tilting too much.

Tigress reached the end first and jumped on one of the Seven-Talon Rings. Her lack of weight caused the Jade Tortoise to tip to one side, something she thought would disturb Lin enough to slow him down. To her dismay, Lin used the upward force to propel himself forward. He passed by Tigress and caught a ring ahead of her and began crossing. She grumbled and hurried up to catch up with him.

Lin reached the gauntlet first and was a quarter of the way through when Tigress arrived. Two people on the gauntlet made it even more challenging; the wooden arms behaved more erratically with two warriors there. Tigress and Lin were able to handle it and were on the last one in no time.

The field of Fiery Death was as hot and fiery as ever. The second Lin's foot hit the ground, a jet of fire shot upwards. Lin's reflexes kicked in and prevented him from being burnt. Tigress arrived shortly and raced across while dodging the flames. Together, they reach the end and jumped towards the wall and touched.

During the split second that they held the wall, Lin winked at Tigress. They pushed against the wall and launched themselves back on the Fields of Fiery Death. They ran across it again before jumping for the Seven Talon Rings. They traversed it and hopped back on the Jade Tortoise.

They were only on it for a short while. They jumped back onto the Seven Swinging Clubs. They were neck and neck now. Tigress made a mad leap towards the end unaware of the spikes headed her way. Thinking fast, Lin hopped in her direction and swatted the club away.

Tigress saw this action before landing back where she started. One second later, Lin arrived panting slightly. They looked at each other and managed a smile before standing up.

Misha ran over to them. "Tigress won that though Lin did save her." she said.

"Yes well." Lin stretched and looked at Tigress. "See you unhurt Tigress is far better than winning any race."

Tigress remained silent for a while before saying a brief: "Thank you Lin."

He waved it off. "It's nothing Tigress. Just be more careful from now on." There he went again, the less experienced one giving advise to the more experienced one. Tigress was just happy that he showed concern for her.

"Oh Lin, I'm gonna head off to the village for a while. I saw a pretty bracelet there yesterday, and I'm planning on buying it." Misha said.

He nodded. "Alright then. Tigress and I will just resume our training. You take care of yourself then."

"Will do. See you two later then." Misha said before leaving the the Training Hall. The two students did what Lin said and resumed their training.

Later...

"Strange. It's starting to get late, but Misha isn't back yet." Lin said a few minutes after sunset.

Tigress looked out a window. "I know how long it takes girls to pick out jewelry-not that I was ever interested in them- but this is just ridiculous."

Lin gazed out the window too wondering is Misha was alright. He shook his head. "That's it. I'm going to go look for her." He left to get his cloak.

"I'll help you Lin." Tigress said as he put his hood up. Lin nodded and the two made their way to the Hall of Warriors and opened the main door.

"Gah! You two scared me." a startled Zeng who was behind the door said. They noticed that he was carrying a scroll.

"For whom is that scroll Zeng?" Tigress asked.

Zeng looked at it and shrugged. "I don't know. Someone here I guess."

A terrible feeling of dread fill Lin and he snatched the scroll away from Zeng. He ripped it open furiously and read its message. Though his hood was up, Tigress could sense the horror on his face.

"Lin?" she asked worriedly. Instead of answering, Lin turned around and ran as fast as he could clutching the scroll.

"MASTER SHIFU! MASTER OOGWAY!" he cried out as he ran. Tigress stood there stunned for a few seconds before running after him.

She found him with her two masters. Shifu was reading the scroll, Oogway had a bothered look on his face and Lin was leaning against the wall covering his face. Shifu was the only one to notice her enter. Slowly, he gave her the scroll for her to read it.

_We have the young tiger girl. In exchange for her, we want all the treasure of the Jade Palace. Send one person with the treasure to the southern village before midnight or else..._


	14. Chapter 14

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 14  
>RESCUING MISHA<p>

Lin stood up so suddenly that Tigress was startled. "I'll need as much treasure as I can carry." he said with his face dead serious.

"Lin, what are you planing?" Shifu asked.

He clenched his fists tightly. "I'll use the treasure I'm carrying as a distraction." He turned towards Tigress. "Tigress, I'll need your help of my plan; can you do it?"

She faced him looking like she was ready for anything. "What do you need?"

Lin started to explain. "I don't plan on giving those thugs any amount of treasure. This will be a rescue mission, and here's the plan...

Later at midnight...

A wolf was having a nice sleep when he was struck painfully. He rubbed his aching head and looked up at another wolf. "Why're you sleeping? You're supposed to be on lookout!"

"Well he hasn't shown up yet." the first wolf complained.

"Boss said he'd be here by midnight." the other wolf said. "And when boss get mad..." He shuddered.

"What if he doesn't show?"

"Oh he'll be here alright; boss said he would. Don't forget the plan OK?" The first wolf sighed and resumed his watch. After a few minutes, he started to feel drowsy. He ended up snoring a bit until he heard footsteps on the street. He looked up and saw a hooded figure carrying a large sack. Now wide awake, he ran to get his comrades.

* * *

><p>Lin put the sack down gently and spoke loudly to the houses. "I'm here with the treasure! Show yourselves!"<p>

Several moments later, he heard movement. Another few moment later, a group of wolves came out of the buildings and surrounded him. There were about 20 of them, but Lin didn't flinch. He looked straight ahead and found a wolf who seemed to be the leader.

"You, where is she?" he said to him slowly and angrily.

The wolf grinned at him. A bunch of wolves behind him parted to make way for two wolves who were hauling Misha. Her ankles and wrists were bound with rope. She saw Lin and tried speaking, but her mouth was gagged.

The sight of her made him feel relieved. "What did you do to her?" Lin demanded.

"Nothing yet, but we hall have 'plans' with her." The wolf walked towards Misha and licked his lips hungrily. He placed a paw on her stomach and slid it down to her waist and down her leg. His face then became a look of pure terror probably because he could sense Lin's fury from beneath his hood.

"I have your treasure here." Lin indicated the bag. "Give her to me and it's yours."

The wolf looked uneasy before reluctantly shoving Misha away from him. As he went get the bag, Lin went to Misha and removed the gag in her mouth.

"Misha..." He hugged her tightly for several moments. Meanwhile, the wolf had just picked up the bag and took it to the other ones.

"Damn, this thing's heavy." he complained. The bag was truly heavy. "Let's see what we got." He opened the bag and peered inside.

"I'm not fat."

A fist came out of the bag hitting the wolf square in the nose. He stumbled backwards dropping the bag in the process. It then burst open revealing Tigress who performed a leg sweep to one wolf. She then launched herself upwards and kicked the side of another wolf's head. She landed on her feet and took a fighting stance.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Lin said to her. "Hold on tightly Misha."

Misha got on Lin back; he then proceeded to hop from building to building to take her to a safe place. Tigress was left alone with the wolves, but she wasn't afraid at all. The wolf who held the bag containing her recovered from the hit and stood up. "You're out numbered."

He charged at her. Tigress calmly blocked his punch and smashed her fist into his jaw sending him flying. This action pissed off the other wolves who snarled and unsheathed their swords. On one accord, they swarmed her.

They were all wearing armor which was strange for bandits who usually fought with nothing but the shirts on their backs. Tigress however was too busy fighting them off to think about their fashion sense. With their torsos armored, she went for their legs and heads, the latter of which was harder to hit.

Anyway, back to the fight. Tigress was surrounded and had to keep moving to avoid getting killed. A wolf swung his sword; Tigress dodged his swing and kicked his stomach pushing him back by a foot. More wolves swarmed her, so she jumped on one of them and launched herself out of the fray.

She landed several feet away from the group. She heard someone land on the roof of a nearby building; Lin jumped off the building to her side. "I took Misha back to the palace. Now all that's left is to deal with these wolves." He took a fighting stance, but Tigress noticed something different about Lin; his fist were shaking with fury.

"You'll all pay for what you did!" he shouted as he charged at the wolves. The pack charged at him. Lin delivered three punches to the first wolf he came across. He jumped, twisted in mid-air, and delivered a painful backhand which knocked the wolf into a group of his friends.

Tigress joined him after he took out a few more bandits. She performed a flying kick and knocked one to the ground. She was about to hit another one when she heard something sail through the air. She dodged just in time; an arrow struck the ground where she was.

"There's an archer in the houses!" she shouted. Lin look at a house, and true enough, an arrow flew out of the window in his direction. He dodged in time but was to busy taking out the bandits on the ground to handle the one in the house.

Whoever the archer was, they didn't seem to care about the other wolves. All arrows were aimed at Tigress and Lin, but some ended up hitting the wolves. Lin saw the wolf that ran his paw down Misha's thigh charge with his sword raised. One second later, an arrow struck his neck and killed him.

With the mysterious archer's "help", the wolves were defeated although some were killed by the arrows. The arrows still kept flying in their direction even after the wolves have been defeated. Tigress ran towards the building where the last arrow came from. Lin followed her in case she needed back-up, but she returned quickly after searching.

"The building's empty." she told him. "Whoever it was firing those arrows escaped."

Lin nodded and walked over to the pile of unconscious (and a few dead) wolves and pulled out an arrow that was sticking out of the ground. "Let's tie these wolves up and head back to the palace. I'll be keeping this; maybe we can use to identify that archer."

Tigress nodded and helped him tie up the bandits. Afterwards, they made their way back to the Jade Palace and approached their two masters. "How's Misha?" Lin asked taking his cloak off.

"In her room. She hasn't left since she arrived." Oogway answered. Lin nodded and presented the arrow to his two masters.

"As we fought the bandits, we were attacked by a mysterious archer. Do either of you recognize this arrow?" Tigress asked.

Oogway carefully examined the the arrow from nock to tip before handing it to Shifu who did the same. "I have never seen this arrow before." Shifu told his students.

"I'm not so sure if whoever fired it is an ally or not; they didn't seem to care about the other wolves." Lin said before shaking his head. "Anyway, there's nothing we can do about it now. I'm just glad that Misha is unhurt."

He took the arrow back and bade his masters good night. Lin and Tigress made their way back to the barracks, but Lin stopped in front of Misha's room. He sighed before sliding it open.

"Misha?"

He found her just sitting on her bed; she didn't get any sleep at all. She looked up at him when he opened the door. "May I come in?"

"Yeah...go ahead..." she answered. The next second however, Misha found herself embraced by him. A few seconds later, she heard him start to cry.

"Misha..." He hugged her tightly. "I thought I'd lost you..." Tears continued to pour from his eyes; he was truly terrified about loosing Misha again.

As Lin continued to cry, Tigress silently watched him through a gap in the doorway. Upon seeing how much he cried over the thought of loosing his best friend again, she realized just how much Misha truly meant to him, something which for some reason made her feel uneasy.

Not wanting to disturb the two, Tigress crept away and entered her own room. She laid down wondering if Lin would behave the same way if she'd been in Misha's situation and slept and once again dreamed about the burning village.


	15. Chapter 15

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 15  
>THE JOURNEY PART 1: BY THE RIVER SIDE<p>

During the next few days, Tigress noticed that Lin seemed to be doubling his training efforts. Whenever Shifu or Oogway was around to watch, he would train even harder as if he were trying to please them. She began to worry that he might be over working himself, but Lin assured her that he knew what he was doing.

Then one night as she was readying herself for bed, she saw Lin looking rather excited. She peeked out of her room and saw him walk into Misha's room. She heard him talk to her excitedly and wondered what was going on. After a while, Lin left, so Tigress took her chance.

"Why are you so excited Lin?" she asked as he passed.

Lin stopped and faced her. "About that, have you noticed that I've been training extra hard these past few days?"

"Yes."

"I did that so I could impress Masters Shifu and Oogway. I just came back from asking Master Oogway for the whole weekend off, and he gave me permission."

"Why would you need the weekend off?" Tigress asked again.

"Well..." Lin thought about it. "Let's just say that I'm doing a little tradition of mine, a personal journey. Since Misha's here, I'd like her to go with me on my journey..."

He continued to speak, but Tigress wasn't listening much.

Lin and Misha...

One a personal journey...

For the whole weekend...

Completely alone...

Every part of Tigress's body didn't like that idea at all.

"No!" she shouted in the middle of Lin's story. He raised an eyebrow at her; she tried to explain herself. "I...I mean...why don't I accompany you on your journey Lin?"

"Hmm, I don't know." Lin crossed his arms. "I don't want to get in the way of your training or anything."

"I don't mind at all." Tigress said quickly.

Lin uncrossed his arms and sighed. "Well if that's your decision, then I can respect that. Sure Tigress, you can go with us."

She couldn't help but smile a bit.

"However, I had to earn my days off. We leave in two days; if you really want to join us, then I suggest you train harder."

* * *

><p>And train harder she did. With the desire to join Lin and Misha, Tigress worked her tail off the next day, something Lina and Misha noticed. "Tigress seems to really want to go." Lin remarked. He was taking a short break with Misha while watching Tigress train by herself.<p>

"Well if she can't make Master Shifu happy enough, maybe she won't go." Misha replied. "D'you honestly want her to go Lin?"

"Well...I don't mind her joining us. I didn't want to take her in the first place because I didn't want to interrupt her training." Lin said. "I just don't want to be a burden to her."

Misha smiled at him. "Well either way, I'm glad you asked me to go with you Lin."

He smiled back at her. "Well I'm glad to have you with me Misha."

Tigress glanced in their direction and saw them smiling at each other. She felt a flicker of irritation before looking away to continue training though the sight she just witnessed didn't leave her mind. After a few more minutes, Oogway visited the Training Hall; Tigress was busy on the gauntlet when this happened and immediately went into overdrive.

Oogway looked from Tigress to Lin and Misha and seemed to understand something. Without saying anything, he walked out of the hall. Tigress saw this and quickly caught up with him.

"Master, I was wondering if I could have the weekend off as well." she asked.

Her master turned around. "Hmm, what do you plan to do this weekend Tigress.?" he asked.

"Master I...want to go with Lin on his journey."

Oogway stared at her for a bit before giving her a very strange smile. It was as if he knew something that she didn't. "I had a feeling you would...Very well then. you have permission Tigress."

She bowed. "Thank you master." She then ran back to the hall with Oogway still having that strange smile on his face.

* * *

><p>"Master Oogway gave you permission?" Lin asked when she returned. She nodded. "Well then, I guess you're joining us Tigress." He patted her back. "We're leaving tomorrow morning; you have tonight to pack."<p>

The next day...

Their supplies were all packed up; Lin had brought along two tents for them to stay in. One quick breakfast and farewell to their masters later, and they set off.

"So where exactly are we going?" Tigress asked.

Lin had his hood up; they had just left the Valley of Peace. "Trust me Tigress, you'll know the place once you've seen it."

Tigress was still curious, so she backed up a bit to talk to Misha. "Misha, did he tell you where we were going?"

She shook her head. "I don't know Tigress. He wouldn't tell me no matter how many times I asked."

"I thought he'd have told you. He trusts you a lot."

Misha shrugged. "I guess the only way to know is to wait 'till we get there."

Tigress turned to Lin who's back was turned against the two girls. She wondered where the heck they were going, but Misha was right.

They traveled all day, and it was night-time before they knew it. The passed by a river and decided to spend the night there before continuing in the morning. Tigress and Misha got busy setting up a tent for them while Lin went to the river.

"Where are you going?" Tigress asked.

"Getting dinner." he answered. Tigress watched as he crouched at the edge of the river, staring into the water as if he was waiting for something. Suddenly, his paw plunged into the water; he pulled it back up revealing a struggling catfish in his paws.

Lin smiled and tossed the catfish over his shoulder. "Wow, that's cool." Misha said.

As Lin waited for another fish to swim by, Tigress showed up next to him. A catfish swam by, and she grabbed it with one swipe. She showed her catch to Lin who smiled again.

"I guess I'm not the only one with good reflexes." he remarked. Tigress added her fish to the pile. Tigress and Lin caught each others eyes and crouched down silently deciding that they would race to see who would get the next fish.

A fish swam by, and they both shot their paws into the water. When they pulled their paws out, they found out that they had caught the fish at the same time. Lin gave an amused laugh until the fish decided to bite his finger.

"Ack!" Lin yanked his paw away, but the catfish kept its hold. Lin used his other paw to pull the catfish off and toss it in with the other ones. His paw began to sting a bit; he wiped it on his shirt

"Let me look at that" Tigress grabbed his paw and examined it closely. "There doesn't seem to be any wound." Her thumb gently caressed his paw causing both of them to freeze with their hearts beating slightly faster.

"I never knew his/her paw was so soft..." they thought at the same time. They had held hands several times while performing combination attacks, but this time seemed different. Slowly, they looked away from their paws and gazed into each others eyes. After a few moments, they let go of the other slightly pink in the face. Lin thanked his hood for concealing his.

"I er...better help Misha with the tents." Tigress said before quickly running off. Lin was able to catch her slightly pink face before she left, and thought it looked cute. He quickly remembered the catfish and began to prepare dinner.

The tents were eventually set up, and the catfish were roasting over a fire Lin built. He and Tigress acted rather shyly around each other since their previous situation. Luckily, Misha sat between them which made it easier.

Misha looked to Lin who was on her right. "Y'know, maybe you should take your cloak off. If anyone sees us, they'll just think we're a bunch teenagers on a trip." she said.

"Hmm, I guess you have a point." He took his cloak off and put it aside. "There; better?"

"Much better. You look better this way." Tigress had said that without thinking.

Lin was slightly taken aback. "Yes well...thank you for the compliment." He smiled with a tiny blush on his face.

Luckily, the fish were done cooking. Lin took them and gave them to the two girls before they began eating. They didn't talk much during their meal, and no one passed by. Dinner was over, and the three of them proceeded to their tents to sleep.

Misha yawned. " Night Tigress."

"Good night Misha."

* * *

><p>She suddenly had a hard time breathing. The smoke coming from the flames that burned the village began to choke her. She could hear someone screaming at her just like last time.<p>

She wanted to run. She wanted to find some water to put out the flames and maybe find out who was screaming at her, but her feet didn't leave the ground. There were still two blurry shapes on the ground before her, and she couldn't even find out what they were.

The screaming got louder. For some reason, she felt drawn to it. If her feet could just leave the ground, she could find out who it was. Once again, the feeling of being completely unable to help began to weigh down on her making her feel so miserable.

* * *

><p>With a loud gasp, she woke up. She put her paws on her head and tried to calm down. She looked over her shoulder and saw that Misha was still fast asleep. Tigress was still slightly shaken by her dream and left her tent to splash some water on her face.<p>

She stepped out and heard someone walking nearby. She ducked back into her tent, but it was only Lin who walked towards the river. Wondering where he was going, she followed him silently.

Lin paused for a bit when he reached the river. He removed his cloak and took off his shirt followed by laying his LinkStar aside. He sighed one last time before diving into the river. It wasn't very deep and water wasn't that cold. He swam for a while before floating on the surface of the water gazing at the full moon.

He sensed someone's presence and raised his head. "Tigress? What're you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing." she said walking towards the river.

Lin swam towards her. "I decided to take an evening dip." He smiled. "Care to join me?"

"Ah...no. I'm just here to wash my face a bit."

Lin dropped his smile. "I see...Tigress, could you take a look at my paw again? It's starting to act up."

He swam towards her. Tigress bent down, and he offered her his paw. She took it and examined finding nothing wrong. Lin suddenly grabbed her wrists and, in one quick movement, threw her into the water.

Tigress struggled for a bit before swimming to the surface. She then began gasping for air while hearing Lin speak. "Tigress, I honestly didn't think you'd fall for that." He said chuckling slightly.

She on the other hand was seething with anger. "You...I'll get you for that!" She lunged at him.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Lin said playfully before swimming away from her. They had begun a game of tag with Tigress being it.

Lin stopped for a while and faced Tigress who was making her way towards him. He chopped the water sending a small amount of it into Tigress's. "You can thank me for washing your face later."

Tigress had finally caught up with him, but she was too tired to hit him or anything. Lin noticed this and though about it. "Maybe I could suggest underwater training to Master Shifu when we get back. With the water slowing down our movements, it could help build our stamina."

"I guess...you're right." she said panting. She went to the river bank and pulled herself out of the water. It was a cold night; she began to shiver slightly.

She turned to Lin to speak, but at that moment, he had pulled himself out of the water and stood before her. His wet fur stuck to his skin revealing well-toned muscles gained from his weeks of training. The wet fur also caused his abdomen, chest and biceps to sparkle in the moonlight.

Tigress had never seen anything more breathtaking in her life. He was just...beautiful. She could imagine herself running her paws over him, caressing him, feeling the toughness of his muscles and, at the same time, the softness of his fur…

"Er…Tigress?" Lin snapped his fingers a few times which brought her out of her fantasy. "You spaced out a bit there. Are you alright?"

"I…I…" Tigress felt like she would die of embarrassment. She couldn't believe she had those kind of thoughts about Lin. She'd never even considered looking at Lin in that sort of light.

And yet…it felt strangely good.

Lin sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about pulling you into the water. Why don't I get the fire starting so you can dry up?"

"Y…Yes that would be nice. Thank you…Lin." she said shyly.

Lin smiled and started up the fire again. Tigress sat down near it and began to feel a lot warmer. Lin, who hadn't put his shirt back on, went over and sat next to her causing her face to warm up.

"What on earth is happening to me?" Tigress thought.

They sat in silence letting the fire warm them up. "So Tigress…" Lin said breaking the ice. "I hope you find this journey of mine worth loosing a few days of training."

"What? No, I guess I could use a break." she answered. "So, do you plan on telling me where we're going?"

Lin sighed and gazed at the flames. "Believe me Tigress, you'll find out as soon as we get there."

Tigress stared into the flames too imagining that those were the same flames that burned the village in her dreams. But there was another problem bothering her-Misha.

"Lin...I want to get something off my chest." Tigress admitted. "Lin looked at her confused. She took a deep breath. "I...I'm just bothered by the fact that you're spending more time with Misha than with me."

Lin paused for a while, taking in her words. "Tigress, she's my best friend. A tragedy separated us for years; of course I'd want to spend more time with her. I'm all she has left."

"Yes well." Tigress just said what she felt. "Misha may be your best friend...but you're mine."

Lin blinked a few times. "Oh...you've been jealous of her this whole time? Is that it Tigress?"

"Y...yes...That's correct." Tigress finally admitted it not only to Lin, but to herself; she was jealous of all the time Lin spent with Misha.

Lin put a paw on her shoulder and leaned closer to her. "Tigress," he said slowly. "I'm sorry if I hurt or neglected you in any way; you know I never intend to. Is there any way I can make things up between us?"

That was so like him to want to patch things up with her. "You don't have to do much. Just...don't forget that I'm here as well. I thought that you didn't want me to go with you on your journey."

"Tigress, please don't think that." Lin said sincerely. His face turned slightly red. "I...really enjoy spending time with you."

At those words, Tigress felt a strange warmth that had nothing to do with the fire. She also felt a strange, new sensation in her chest, as if her heart was melting. The sensation was foreign to her, but she like it.

This warmth felt so good, so relaxing, so...Tigress really couldn't describe it. She closed her eyes so that she couldn't do anything else but bask in the warmth. Unfortunately, she ended up closing her eyes too long and dozed off.

"Tigress?" Lin discovered that she was fast asleep. He chuckled slightly before standing up. He extinguished the fire before picking Tigress up bridal-style and carrying her over to her tent. Careful not to wake Misha up, he laid Tigress on her mat. Her clothes were still slightly damp, and he knew that she'd feel cold eventually, so he fetched his cloak and laid it on top of her.

Lin smiled and patted her head a bit before leaving. He went back to his tent and changed his clothes before lying down on his mat. He smiled and whispered a single word before falling into a peaceful slumber.

"Tigress..."

Both of them slept with warmth in their hearts that night.


	16. Chapter 16

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 16  
>THE JOURNEY PART 2: ARRIVAL<p>

Lin was sleeping peacefully in his own tent until he sensed someone enter it. His training instantly kicked in; he quickly got up and went into a fighting stance ready to confront whoever entered his tent. He heard a scuffle and a female voice saying: "It's just me!"

Lin dropped his stance and left his tent finding Misha standing in front of it. "You startled me Misha; I thought you were some thief or something." Lin rubbed his eye. "Anyway, what is it that you want?"

"Oh, I'm just really hungry; that's all." Misha scratched the back of her head. "D'you think you can get breakfast ready?"

Lin yawned and scratched his back. "I'll get started in just a while. I'll just catch a few more fish."

He made his way to the river to catch a few more fish. Misha went back to her tent and saw that Tigress was stirring.

"Mngg..." Tigress said groggy. She looked down and realized that Lin's cloak was draped over her like a blanket making her feel warm despite the coldness of the morning. For several moments, she just stayed there wrapped in the cloak thinking that it was Lin's strong arms around her giving her warmth and protection...

Tigress suddenly bolted upright, a blush forming due to the fantasy she just had. She started taking deep calming breaths while trying to sort out her thoughts. "Isn't that Lin's cloak?" she heard Misha ask.

Tigress turned to her. "Er...yes. I think he gave it to me as a blanket..." The thought made Tigress feel weird again.

"Why're your clothes damp?" Misha asked.

"Lin. He went swimming last night and pulled me into the river." Tigress still was slightly angry about that.

"He must've not wanted you to get a cold." Misha said. "Well, that's the nicer thing to do. Either that or he could've changed your clothes instead."

Misha's suggestion sent a very...inappropriate mental image into Tigress's brain, of Lin changing her clothes while she slept. Her entire face turned deep red as she gave an annoyed cry of: "Misha!"

A few seconds after that, Lin poked his head through the entrance of the tent. "I heard a commotion. Is everything al-"

He didn't get a chance to finish. Tigress, who did want Lin to see her with messy fur and was still flustered from her earlier thoughts, grabbed the nearest thing she could find, in this case her pillow, and threw it at Lin's head. "This is a girls' tent! Get out you pervert!" she screamed.

Lin backed up to avoid the pillow and landed on his butt. He and Tigress stared at each other separated by the thin sheet of cloth, that was the tent's entrance. "I...I'm sorry. I probably should have knocked or something first. Er...I need to look for some more wood for the fire. I won't be gone long."

Tigress heard him leave. She put her face in her paws feeling ashamed of what she did to him. She felt so confused, so worried about these new things that she was feeling.

"What in the world is happening to me..." she whispered to herself. She promised herself to apologize to Lin when he came back.

After calming down, Tigress changed and left the tent. Three fish were already lying near the fireplace just waiting to be cooked. With Lin gone getting firewood and Misha staying in her tent, Tigress was alone to wallow in her thoughts. She walked towards the river and sat at its edge. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Lin..."

Every moment they shared together came back to her. She remembered when he first showed up at the palace and didn't turn out to be what she expected. She remembered all those days of training with Lin getting closer and closer to her level with each passing day. Then came that match they had which she would've won if Shifu hadn't intervened.

But stronger memories seemed to dominate her mind. She remembered the time he made her laugh for the first time in a long time. Then came that night when they ate out together. Then, there was the time Lin poured his heart out to her, and she listened.

Almost every memory she had of Lin, from the time he saved her from the Kaboom Brothers to their conversation that previous night, was a good time, a happy time. For someone who spent most of her life alone, Tigress never felt so happy when she was with Lin.

"Of course...he's my best friend..." she thought to herself, but there was a small part of her that seemed to long for more...

"Er...I'm back." she heard Lin's voice. She turned around and saw him deposit a few logs into the fireplace. Tigress stood up and approached him. At the same time, Lin took a deep breath and turned around.

"Tigress/Lin, I'm sorry for earlier." they said at the same time. They paused for a bit noticing what just happened. "No, I should be the one to apologize." There it went again. "I'm the one who should be sorry!"

The two of them stared at each other for a while. Then Tigress, noticing, just how amusing their situation was, began chuckling a little. Lin always like the way she laughed; it was cute and made him want to laugh too. He began to chuckle as well thinking about the weirdness of their situation too.

"So Tigress...All's forgiven?" he asked. Tigress looked at him for a while and smiled a bit.

"Yes. All's forgiven" she replied. For a few seconds, the two of them stared at each other until Tigress' stomach grumbled. She felt slightly embarrassed, but Lin just went and prepared breakfast.

After eating, they decided to continue their journey. They packed up their things and were off in just 15 minutes. Lin told the two girls that they were almost at their destination.

"Just over those hills. You'll be able to see it from there." he said pointing at them. As he walked ahead, Tigress approached Misha.

"Looks like we're gonna get some answers." Misha said.

"What do you think we will find?" Tigress asked.

Misha shrugged. "I dunno; I think it has something to do with Geng Wu."

"What make you say-" The had reached the top of the hill where Lin stood. Tigress gasped at the sight before her.

It was a village, or at least, it used to be one. Right in the middle of a few hills was the ruins of a large village. Every building was toppled down, and a few looked like they were burnt. But the most surprising sight of all was what was on the roads.

Tigress initially thought the roads were just bumpy, but there were just too many raised mounds of soil along it. Each mound of soil had a piece of wood sticking out of one end of it. tigress gasped; those weren't mounds.

They were graves.

"Passersby call this place Grave City." Lin said without looking at the two girls. "Tigress, Misha, welcome to my 2nd home, the village of Maluyong."


	17. Chapter 17

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 17  
>THE JOURNEY PART 3: MALUYONG<p>

"Grave City...a fitting name." Tigress thought as they approached the remains of the village entrance. She didn't dare speak to Lin for a while. She was sure that this place was full of bad memories.

The three of them walked silently through the grave-filled streets as if they might wake up the dead. Tigress couldn't help but stare at all the graves around them. She wasn't superstitious or anything like that but still...

"I was the only survivor of the attack." Lin explained as they walked. "I buried every single one of my people. It was the least I could do for them..."

"How long had it been?"

"Today, it's been 3 years since the attack...Jin and Lan were only 5 and 4 when they were killed..."

Tigress could only imagine what that was like, waking up seeing his family and everyone else in his village dead but him. She imagined him digging through the dirt with his bare paws just to give his mom, dad, siblings and the other innocent who died a proper burial. What she couldn't imagine was how he felt as he stared into hundreds of dead faces he probably knew well. He might have had a few friends here who died leaving him all alone in the world with no one left to go to but Misha. All of that, his family, his home, his whole life, was just taken by that one monster Geng Wu.

"Lin..." she whispered worriedly.

For the first time, she felt fury build up at the name Geng Wu. She wanted to find him, to hurt him, to make him pay for what he did to the things he'd done, to stop him from doing to others what he did to Lin. But no...he didn't want her being involved in his fight.

Lin kept walking already knowing where to go. He kept his eyes forward as he passed through several more streets filled with graves. After about five minutes, he suddenly stopped in front of four graves which were almost identical to the others.

Behind those graves was the ruins of a house. Tigress already knew where they were. Her suspicion was confirmed when Lin knelt down in front of the graves and removed his hood.

"Mother, father, Jin, Lan...I'm back." He gave a weak smile and sat down. "I've brought company with me this time."

He looked over his shoulder and beckoned the two girls to come closer. They sat down next to Lin, and he put his paw on Misha's shoulder. "I've found her, Misha. I know you told me to forget about her, but I didn't. Look now; she's here with me; we're together again."

He then placed a paw on Tigress's shoulder. "This...This is Tigress. She's learning Kung Fu with me at the Jade Palace. You don't know her at all don't you." Lin smiled. "She's a very talented warrior; she's strong-willed, just and rather quiet at times, but deep down, I found within her immeasurable kindness and a heart so strong, I don't think anything would be able to break her spirit." His grip tightened. "I'm...so glad to have someone like her by my side..."

"Lin..." Tigress placed her paw over his and gave it a smile squeeze. Their eyes met and, they exchanged small smiles before Lin continued. "These two girls are my life now. I'd give anything for them, and they'd do the same for me...So you don't have to worry..." Lin's head dropped. "Don't worry...at all..."

He could still remember them as if he'd just seen them yesterday. His mom's laugh, his dad's smile, his brother's kindness, his sister's mischievousness...those things only existed his heart and memory now. Just thinking about his family made him start to choke up.

"Could I be alone please..." he choked out. Misha and Tigress looked at each other before standing. Lin watched them pass and covered his face. Tears began to flow.

But he sensed something behind him and looked over his shoulder. Misha was gone, but Tigress was standing there staring at him with eyes that said that she'd do anything to make him feel better. Lin faced the graves of his family again. "Please Tigress...Just let me be alone for a while..."

She shook her head and walked towards him. The next second, Lin felt her arms go around him and pull him into an embrace. Lin gasped a bit. "T...Tigress..."

"Listen to me Lin, you are _never_ alone." She turned him around and gripped him tightly. "I mean it. You may say you're alone, but that will never happen as long as I live. As long as I'm alive, you will never know true solitude. So don't you ever say that you're alone; not while I'm here by your side."

Lin just stared at her for a few more seconds before choking up. He hugged her tightly and began to cry his heart out. Like last time, tigress just held him and stroked his back wishing that she could've stopped all the horrible things that happened to Lin from ever happening.

Several moments later, Lin finished crying; Tigress wiped his remaining tears away. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"Y...Yes...Thanks to you Tigress." Lin answered managing a smile. Tigress helped him to his feet and approached the graves.

"Lin is in good hands." she said to the graves. "Misha and I will take care of him." She bowed. "I hope the four of you found peace."

Lin smiled and patted her back. He wished he had brought something to put on the graves. After searching around for a bit, they found Misha waiting for them near a patch of flowers. The three of them picked a few and laid them on the graves of Lin's family. With nothing left to do, they left Maluyong and headed back to the Valley of Peace.

Tigress couldn't remember the journey back much. the next thing she knew, they arrived at the Jade Palace just before bedtime.

Their Masters greeted them as they arrived. "How was your journey Lin?" Oogway asked.

"It went well master. The three of us are rather tired right now." Lin said with a yawn.

"Well you better get to bed; you have training tomorrow." Shifu reminded.

Lin laughed. "Of course mater. Good-night."

As the three of them headed for the barracks, Tigress was stopped by Oogway. "Tigress, how did you find your journey with Lin?"

Tigress paused as she remembered every moment she spent with Lin. She couldn't help but smile before answering. "It was very fulfilling master; I'm glad I accompanied him."

The old turtle smiled and dismissed her. As he watched her walk to the barracks, he chuckled in amusement." So...it has happened..."

"Hmm? What has happened master?" Shifu asked.

Oogway laughed again and continued to watch Tigress. "Oh Shifu, if only you knew. If only you knew..."


	18. Chapter 18

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 18  
>LIN AND MISHA<p>

For a change, Tigress didn't dream about a burning village. Instead, she was on top of a barren hill in the middle of a rainstorm. She stood there in the rain for a few minutes until a cloaked figure appeared out of nowhere.

"Dig." it commanded pointing at the ground before her. Tigress felt compelled to follow him, so she started.

Her paws dove into the earth and started pushing away. She ignored the rain and focused on her task. She just kept on digging and digging, the cloaked figure watching her silently. Strangely, Tigress didn't feel tired at all.

By the time she had dug a pit that was quite deep, she had a feeling what this was for. Eventually, the cloaked figure ordered her to stop, and she looked at him.

"Are you going to kill me now?" she asked.

"What?" the figure said surprised.

Tigress indicated the pit she had just dug. "You didn't make me dig my own grave?"

The figure nodded. "No; that pit is for this piece of trash."

A large sack appeared at his foot, and he kicked it into the pit. "Be sure to bury it properly." the figure said before vanishing as if he was never really there in the first place. Tigress wondered what was in the sack. She nudged it with her foot and felt something large and tough inside. Curiosity getting the better of her, she used her claws to rip it open.

She nearly died herself at what she saw.

It was Lin, or at least, what was left of him. His entire body was nothing but a bloody mess which seemed to have been caused by a sword. Tigress couldn't count how many cuts and wounds he had on his body and imagined him dying a slow, excruciatingly painful death. His eyes were open, just blankly staring into hers as if he was saying: "_He_ did this to me..."

"LIIIIIIIIIIN!"

* * *

><p>The morning gong jolted Tigress awake. She jumped out of bed, threw the door open and almost shouted her: "Good morning master." Shifu raised his eyebrow but thought nothing of it and walked away.<p>

"Did something happen Tigress?" Lin asked. Tigress wasn't able to answer him for a while. The sheer relief of seeing him alive stunned her for a while. It was all she could do to hold him and never let go. Eventually, she composed herself and choked out: "I'm fine."

Lin just smiled. At that moment, the room next to his opened, and stretching Misha stepped out. "Morning guys." she said to the two of them.

"Good morning Misha. Did you sleep well after out journey?" Lin asked.

"Yeah; thanks for taking me along and all that."

"It was no problem at all." He smiled at her in a way that made Tigress jealous.

She didn't like this at all, being jealous of Misha. She was nice, innocent, approachable and wouldn't hurt a fly. She found absolutely no reason to dislike her except for the bond she had with Lin. To her, it made her feel shallow and, she didn't like that feeling at all.

Lin turned to Tigress. "I could've sworn you nearly shouted Tigress. Did something happen?"

"It was nothing. Just a dream I had; it's no problem at all." she replied trying to avoid talking about it.

"A dream huh?" Lin looked down and smiled a bit.

"Why do you look so happy?" Tigress asked.

"Well I..." Lin began nervously. "I had a rather nice dream last night." He turned to Misha. "It was the day you and I first met."

Misha blinked and smiled at his words. "Of course, how could I forget that day." she said.

Tigress was suddenly curious. "How did it happen?" She asked her. "How did you two meet?"

Misha rolled her eyes and nodded at Lin. "Trust me, Lin could tell it way better than I ever could."

Lin laughed before speaking to Tigress. "Well Tigress, like I said before, it all started when I was just a cub. To be exact, when we were around 5 years old..."

* * *

><p>Lin had just finished breakfast and ran outside to play with his ball. His dad Tenshu had gone back to work on a pair of gauntlets he was planning to sell. His mom Ami was watering their backyard garden. The young Lin, carrying his ball, walked down the street bouncing it happily. He thought that it was going to be a nice day.<p>

He came across two crocodiles and one of them shoved him aside while saying: "Move it kid." Lin frowned at them and continued to watch as they entered a nearby house. A few moments later, he heard raised voices and one of the crocs came out with an ornate blue vase.

"No! You put that down!" an adult Tiger yelled running out of the house. He tried to reach for the vase, but the croc kicked his stomach, bringing him to his knees.

"We're gonna take it whether you like it or not." the croc said. "You have a debt to pay, and you know our motto: 'You don't pay, we take'."

The tiger tried standing up. "That vase is a family heirloom, passed down to us by my ancestors. I won't let you take it!" He charged again, and the croc delivered a backhand to the side of his head knocking him down once more.

"Leave my dad alone!" a young female tiger cub yelled running out of the house towards the croc holding the vase. The second croc caught up with her and shoved her to the ground. Lin's grip on his ball tightened.

"No! Fine, take the vase; just don't hurt my daughter." the adult tiger said.

The croc holding the vase laughed evilly, and that pushed the young lynx over the edge. He threw the ball at the croc holding the vase and ran towards them. The ball hit the croc's wrist causing him to drop the vase. Lin dove and caught the vase before it could smash against the ground. He then began to run away.

"Thief! Come back here you brat!" The crocs began to chase him. The vase was a little big for Lin, but he ran as fast as he could without dropping it. The crocs were on his tail; one of then suddenly pulled out a knife and threw it at him.

Lin could here it as if it was right next to him. He had already known about his remarkable reflexes and ducked at the last minute. The crocs were stunned; one of them threw another knife at Lin, but he ducked once again. Now totally pissed off, the crocs began chucking everything within arms reach while running- a few more knives, chunks of wood, rocks even fruit from carts. Lin's reflexes allowed him to dodge each one and keep the vase from falling.

He rounded a corner and hid in an alleyway behind a few barrels. He held his breath and clutched the vase close to him; the crocs ran right past him without even noticing him. Lin slowly peeked his head out and saw them run further away from him. He smiled and slowly crept out and ran in the opposite direction.

He approached the door to the house the crocs went to and knocked. A few moments later, an adult tiger showed up. Lin showed her the vase and said: "I'm sorry I took this. You can have it back now."

She was shocked and called for her husband. He showed up a few seconds later and couldn't believe his eyes. He got the vase and hugged his wife.

"I can't thank you enough." he said to Lin. "Those thugs won't be back by tomorrow; I can finally pay my debt. Is there anything I can do to thank you?"

"Well...your daughter, is she OK?" Lin asked worriedly.

"She's upstairs in her room. You can see her if you wish."

Lin thanked him and went up the stairs. He walked down a corridor towards a room at the end of it. He hesitated at first and slowly knocked. He heard a sniff which he took as a yes.

He opened the door and saw the tiger girl sitting on her bed with her head down and her arms crossed over her knees. She sniffed once more and looked at him revealing tear soaked eyes. The two of them stared at each other in silence until she broke it.

"You're that thief." she accused.

"I gave the vase back. Everything's OK now." Lin replied.

The girl pouted and turned away from him. "I'm Lin by the way. What's your name?" Lin asked.

She paused for a few seconds. "I'm Misha. Why'd you help us?"

"Those crocs guys were bullies." Lin answered. "I don't like bullies, so that's why I helped."

Misha paused again before saying: "Thank you."

Lin approached her and sat on her bed. "Why're you crying?" he asked.

Misha sniffed and rubbed her nose. "'Cause I'm weak. I can't even protect my dad."

Lin blinked. "You're not weak. You tried fighting didn't you?" Lin asked. "Doesn't that mean anything?"

"But I couldn't beat them." Misha buried her head in her arms. Two tears leaked out of her eyes. "Look, just leave me alone. Someone weak like me can't help you or anything..."

She started to cry a little. How she wished that she was stronger, strong enough to protect those she loved, strong enough to stop bad things from happening...

_Come stop your crying_  
><em>It will be alright<em>

His voice caused her to look up at Lin. He slowly moved his paw over hers and gripped it in a comforting manner.

_Just take my hand_  
><em>Hold it tight<em>

He looked into her eyes hoping that she would understand his message.

_I will protect you_  
><em>From all around you<em>  
><em>I will be here<em>  
><em>Don't you cry<em>

_For one so small_  
><em>You seem so strong<em>  
><em>My arms will hold you<em>  
><em>Keep you safe and warm<em>

Misha gripped his paw as well. She moved out of her position and sat next to him on the edge of her bed. He placed a paw on her back and continued.

_This bond between us_  
><em>Can't be broken<em>

He used his shirt to wipe a tear away before sitting back down.

_I will be here don't you cry_

_Cause you'll be in my heart_  
><em>Yes, you'll be in my heart<em>  
><em>From this day on<em>  
><em>Now and forever more<em>

_You'll be in my heart_  
><em>No matter what they say<em>  
><em>You'll be here in my heart<em>  
><em>Always<em>

Lin finished and smiled at her. "You're not weak Misha, but we're not that strong either." he told her.

"Then let's get strong together." Misha said. "I'll get strong someday, and you can do the same. Then we can stop bad stuff from happening. We can do it, can't we Lin?"

The instant he saw her feel better, he knew that he had done a good job. He smiled back at her. "OK. It's a promise Misha."

She smiled again. For the first time, they felt a bond.

Unfortunately, Lin had to leave. He went back home and stayed there until lunchtime. He went back to his room after eating, but his mom stopped him.

"Lin, there's someone at the door looking for you." she said.

Curious, Lin headed for the doorway and found Misha there smiling and holding something behind her back. "Misha? Why're you here?"

She took out what was behind her back and presented it to him. "You left this outside my house. I'm giving it back."

Lin smiled. "Y'know, it's not that hot outside. Wanna play by the river?"

"Sure! I'll race you there!" Misha turned around and ran while giggling.

"Hey, that's cheating." a laughing Lin yelled going after her. From then on, the two of them were as close as any friends could ever be...

* * *

><p>Lin was smiling the whole time he told the story. "I've never forgotten that day, and I doubt I ever will."<p>

He looked at Misha who smiled back at him. That day had changed him. He had formed a bond on that day, a bond that was able to withstand the test of time, a bond he was willing to defend. But something bothered him slightly.

"What happened to that promise Misha?" He couldn't help but ask.

Misha paused and turned away from him. "I'm sorry Lin...but I don't think I can keep that promise...It's just...I want to be strong; I really do...but whenever I was in danger like when I got kidnapped...I get so scared...I can't do anything." She turned around and walked towards him. "I'm scarred that I might snap again like when my parents were killed." She looked at his feet. "I'm so sorry Lin...I couldn't even keep a promise..."

For the first time, Tigress felt sympathy for her; with her burning village dream, she knew what it was like to be unable give any help when the situation demanded it. she placed a paw on her shoulder and gave her a comforting smile.

"Honestly Misha, just seeing you alive and well after all we've experienced is good enough for me." Lin said hugging her. Misha smiled and hugged him back.

Eventually, they parted and began to leave. Tigress slowed down so she could talk to Lin. "You really care about her don't you?" she asked.

"I do Tigress. As much as anyone can care for their best friend." he replied.

"You pracically talk about everything together."

"Yes..." Lin gulped. "Everything..."

Tigress stooped walking and looked at him. "What are you hiding?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about Tigress." Lin said stopping.

"You twiddle your thumbs around each other when you're nervous."

He looked down and saw that he was doing just that. He hastily stopped. "Damn nervous habit; I thought I'd gotten over it." he muttered.

"Well what is it? What topic are you avoiding?" Tigress pressed.

Lin looked very nervous. He looked around to check that they were alone. "Alright, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone especially Misha. If we're to talk about it, I want to be the one to initiate the conversation."

"You have my word." Lin delayed telling it for several more moment. Finally, he blushed and whispered:

"We kissed."

"WHAT!" Tigress shouted causing Lin to jump back in surprise.

"L-Let me explain." he said raising his arms defensively. "It was the day right before Geng Wu attacked our village. Misha accompanied me home before dinnertime. Then she asked me if I'd ever kissed a girl before; I said no and well...she kissed me..."

Tigress just stared at him with shock on her face. "Did you...did you like it?" she dared to ask.

Lin opened his mouth to answer, but Misha (of all people) showed up. "Hey guys, Master Shifu's starting to get mad. You two better hurry up." Seeing this as an excuse, Lin hastily ran away from the stunned Tigress.

* * *

><p>The song above was You'll Be In My Heart by Phil Collins<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 19  
>MEDITATION AND DENIAL<p>

With the memory having his first kiss with Misha fresh in his mind, Lin felt awkward as he chatted with her. He wanted to bring it up but was just too nervous about it. He wanted to know how she felt about that kiss; it was her first after all.

At the same time, Tigress was staring at her, more importantly, her lips. She watched them as they moved to talk, but the only thing she could think of was those lips kissing Lin's. Her eyes then traveled to his own lips with the mental image of her lips on his. She was seriously freaking out but didn't know why she was so bothered by this.

She needed to clear her head. She requested from Shifu that she spend the morning meditating in her room; she never got much anyway. Shifu approved; while Lin headed for the Training Hall, she went back to her room and slid the door shut.

She took a deep breath and sat down on her mat. Closing her eyes, she muttered: "Inner peace...inner peace...". After a few moments, her surroundings seemed to vanish leaving her with only her thoughts.

"Inner peace...Inner peace..."

Image of Misha kissing Lin...

"Inner peace...Inner peace..."

Image of Lin bursting into tears as he hugged Misha...

"Inner...peace...Inner...peace..."

Image of them laughing together...

"Inner...Inner...Inner..."

Yeah, that was about the moment Tigress finally gave up the whole inner peace thing. She just couldn't stop thinking about them together, spending time with each other, chatting about old times. Tigress should be happy for him, for him finding his best friend after all that happened between them.

Yet, she could never let go of her jealousy.

"What on earth is happening to me?" she thought.

_"You're not blind; why don't you see it?"_ a small voice at the back of her head said.

"See? All I can see are memories of them together. It's ruining my concentration."

_"You're unable to concentrate because you aren't being honest with yourself. Why won't you admit, even just to yourself, what you truly feel?"_

"I don't-wait a minute." Her eyes shot open. "Who are you?"

_"I'm your feminine side, a side that you've never explored much. Now seems like a good time to pay attention to me."_

Tigress groaned mentally. "Great, I'm talking to my own head; I must be crazy."

_"Not exactly. The whole point of meditation is to be one with yourself and try to achieve inner peace. So, don't worry; you're not that kind of crazy."_

"What's that supposed to mean?"

_"There you go denying it again. Just be honest; it would make you feel a lot better."_

"I don't know what I'm denying. Why don't you just tell me for argument's sake?"

_"Fine then. What I'm saying is..."_

"Yes. Go on."

_"That you are..."_

"Spit it out already."

_"In love with Lin."_

...

...

...

"W...What!" Tigress nearly shouted. Her face suddenly turned a deep crimson color. "I'm...I'm not...!"

_"Yes you are. Look at yourself. You can't stop thinking about him, and you obviously care deeply about him."_

"I do...as a friend." Tigress reasoned.

_"Then why does the thought of him being with Misha bother you so much?"_

"Because...Because I..." She couldn't find a good answer.

_"Besides, what's wrong with being in love?"_

"Well...This is love we're talking about; I know nothing about it!"

"Aha! So you do admit that you're in love."

Tigress felt cornered. "I...Well...Fine! I admit it; I'm in love...in love with...with Lin..."

Tigress expected the thought to bother her. Instead, she felt giddy, like she wanted to smile and giggle. She felt a fluttering in her chest as well as a comforting warmth thoughts of Lin. She couldn't stop grinning; several moments later, she realized what she was doing and hastily snapped out of it.

"My training will be ruined if I keep acting like this." she thought. She'd seen how other girls her age acted around guys they liked. She didn't want to become like them. Luckily, her oh so helpful feminine side tried to ease her.

"_That's not you; you're not someone who would just fawn over Lin when he's right next to you."_

"Then what do I do the next time I see him?"

_"Just be yourself. Lin himself said that he likes you the way you are. You don't need to change yourself for him."_

"I suppose you're right."

_"You don't need to worry. I'm sure Lin will eventually like you back some day."_

"Wait, if you are indeed a side of me, aren't you bothered by the same worries like me?"

The voice paused. _"You're right. Even I'm worried about him not liking us back. I'm afraid that he'll choose Misha instead."_

"We won't know until we try; we shouldn't give up on him. If this is truly how I feel about Lin," she placed a paw on her chest. "Then I'll fight for it. I won't let anyone say otherwise."

_"That's the spirit. And just in case, I'm sure you could use a chat with another infrequently used side of yours: libid-"_

"Don't even think about it!" Tigress screamed in her head.

A knock came upon her door. "Tigress, lunch is ready. Is your meditation done?"

"What?" Tigress had no idea how much time had passed since she started meditating. "Yes, I'm finished. I'll be right out."

She got up and slid her door open. Lin was standing there smiling in his usual way completely unaware of Tigress true feelings. Tigress knew that he joked a lot and sometimes did stuff that annoyed her, but hey, to her, he's just perfect.

"Did your meditation go well?" Lin asked as they walked. "Did you did some soul-searching something similar?"

"Trust me Lin." Tigress rubbed the back of her head. "I've just had, by far the strangest argument in my life."

Lin chuckled which made Tigress smile more. "Well at least you've got a clear head." He rubbed the top of her affectionately. Tigress felt her heart melt and, for the first time in her life, she purred contently.

"Did she just purr?" Lin thought. He'd never heard that before. It was kinda like her laugh or smile; she didn't do it much, but when she did, it always made him feel warm inside. Tigress unfortunately noticed what she was doing and stopped.

"I er...we better hurry." Tigress said embarrassed. Lin just shrugged and went off ahead. "Wait, Lin?"

He turned around. "Yes Tigress?"

She paused for a bit. "Did I ever tell you how soft your paws are? Hard to imagine that those could smash dummies to pieces."

Lin smiled and turned slightly red. "Yes well, you should see me try to punch iron wood trees."

Lin shuddered and walked off. "There, I complimented him. Happy?" she said to her feminine side who fortunately didn't reply.


	20. Chapter 20

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 20  
>HEART OF A WARRIOR<p>

The next day...

Both Tigress and Lin were very quiet and very still. They had their eyes closed as they stood on opposite ends of the Jade Tortoise. They could feel every single part of their bodies and focused to maintain balance. Misha watched from the sidelines as Shifu observed his students.

"Begin!" he suddenly shouted. The two students opened their eyes. Tigress shifted her weight downwards causing the large bowl to tip towards her bringing Lin with it. Lin hastily blocked her elbow strike and shifted his weight down making the bowl balanced again.

Lin deflected a punch and spun around to deliver a backhand, but Tigress ducked and did a leg sweep that Lin jumped over. When he landed, the Jade Tortoise tipped over so much that it was on its side. Tigress adjusted herself so that she was on top; she locked eyes with Lin for a split second before jumped off. He followed right after.

Both of them grabbed two of the Seven Talon Rings. Tigress pulled herself upwards so that Lin could only see her legs. She kicked, but Lin used his hand to block it. He then grabbed another set of rings as Tigress's other leg came his way. He attempted a punch, but Tigress clamped her legs over his arm. She grabbed another set of rings and pulled trying to cause Lin to let go.

Lin gritted his teeth as he held on to the ring he was holding. Thinking fast, he swung his legs and kicked Tigress's a few times until she let go of his arm. Lin grabbed two rings and pulled himself up with his legs pointing upwards. The result was a kick that knocked Tigress off the rings.

She landed on top of one of the posts in the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors. Lin landed on a post opposite hers and smirked. She smirked back, bent down a bit and kicked the arm of a nearby post causing the whole thing to spin erratically. Tigress adjusted her balance as her post began to spin and took a fighting stance.

Lin jumped, twisted in midair and kicked only to have Tigress duck at before it could connect. She counter attacked while he landed, but he was able to block her blow. Tigress actually wanted this to happen and grabbed Lin arm. With a swipe of her feet, she knocked him off-balanced and threw him off the gauntlet.

Lin landed on his feet and relaxed until he realized where he was, The Fiery Fields of Death. He hopped backwards as a jet of flames burst out of the ground before him. He looked up and saw Tigress coming at him with a flying kick. He crossed his arms and blocked the kick entirely but not without feeling a little pain from the impact. He pushed forward forcing Tigress to land opposite him.

The two students charged at each other while avoiding the jets of fire. Tigress blocked a few blows from Lin before grabbing him and shoving him back. Lin tried to regain his balance but sensed a jet of fire below him. He blindly jumped sideways to avoid the flames. He was still in the air when they died down; he gasped as he saw Tigress right in front of him. Lin crossed his arms over himself again and took her punch.

He crashed a few feet away but hastily got on his feet. Tigress came at him with her fist drawn back, but Lin deflected it and countered with his own punch. Tigress was expecting him to block it and counter attack, so she caught his fist before it could connect. Thinking fast, Lin pulled her closer and tried kicking her side only to be blocked again by Tigress's other arm. Both of them sensed a jet of fire between them and hastily jumped apart to avoid it.

They landed and charged again with their fists drawn back. They punched at the same time. Their fists connected with each other sending a slight jolt of pain through their bodies. They locked eyes once more before pulling back at the same time. They both swung their legs to kick the other. Both were hit and were knocked of the Fiery Fields of Death.

Tigress and Lin were on the ground panting after the intense fighting that they did. Shifu approached his exhausted students. "A 10 minutes break and then you will repeat this in starting from the opposite end of the hall." he told them.

Tigress just nodded, but Lin managed a: "Yes master." As Shifu walked away, Lin turned to Tigress. "Is he...trying to work us into the ground...?"

"I..I think so...that was intense..." Tigress managed to stand up and helped Lin to his feet.

Misha then ran over to them. "Master Shifu's pretty grumpy today." she commented.

"Indeed...he wasn't like this yesterday..." Lin added. "I mean, sparring across the Training Hall?...I'm unsure...if I'll last if this keeps us..."

"Hey, go easy on him. This isn't exactly his favorite day." Tigress said to them.

Lin and Misha looked at her. "What do you mean Tigress?" Lin asked.

Tigress felt unsure about this. This topic was off-limits to anyone, but she couldn't resist it from Lin. She decided to tell them. "You two need to promise that you won't tell anyone I told you. Clear?"

"Sure Tigress. What's this about?" Misha asked.

Tigress sighed and began. "It all started several years ago. One cold summer night, Shifu found a leopard cub outside the temple. He felt pity for him and took him and raised him as his son giving him the name Tai Lung."

"Tai Lung?" Lin noticed something. "Wait, wouldn't that make him your-"

"Believe me Lin, after you hear what happened, I won't exactly be proud for him to be connected to me." Tigress said before he could finish. "Tai Lung showed talent and potential, so Shifu trained him believing he would be the Dragon Warrior. After years of training, Tai Lung was presented to Oogway as the Dragon Warrior."

"But Oogway saw darkness in Tai Lung's heart. He refused to give the Dragon Scroll to him. Shifu had no choice but to obey, but Tai Lung snapped. Enraged, Tai Lung ravaged the Valley of Peace. He then tried to take the Dragon Scroll by force. Oogway and Shifu stood to oppose him, but Shifu was unable to fight the one he once called his son. Oogway defeated him and ever since, he's been locked up in Chor Gohm Prison. I don't think he'll be escaping any day."

"Huh..." Lin said. Tigress looked at the ground. She didn't like thinking of Tai Lung, but sometimes, when she thought of what happened to him, she got worried a bit.

"Is something wrong Tigress?" Lin asked.

She looked up. "How can you tell?" she asked.

"I just can." he replied. Tigress couldn't help but feel touched.

She sighed and told them. "I just wonder if I'm worthy of the Dragon Scroll. Tai Lung wasn't and turned into a monster because of it. Is my heart pure enough? What if Oogway say the same thing about me?"

"Don't say that Tigress." Lin said all of a sudden. He had switched to his serious mode. Tigress thought that was nice, that beyond his cheerful self, there's still some seriousness behind it.

"Lin, it could happen." she pointed out.

"It's your dream isn't it? I see you working hard for that dream everyday, so I know that you deserve it." he told her. "And if anyone tell you that your heart is even just a bit as dark as Tai Lung's...Just know that I won't believe it for even a second. I believe in you Tigress; I just know that it's your destiny to be-"

He didn't get to finish because Tigress suddenly had the urge to just hug him, and she did just that. Lin was surprised at first, but he realized that he liked it. He slowly put his arms around her and returned her hug.

Once again, he felt that same, comforting warmth he always felt when he was with her.

He looked up and caught Misha's eyes. He saw her take a good look at them and saw her furrow her eyebrows. "What's she thinking about Lin thought?" But then, he turned his attention back to Tigress.

Shifu's footsteps were heard forcing Tigress and Lin to part with pink faces. "Back to training students." their master said.

"Yes master." they said at the same time. As they took their stances and begin to fight on the Fiery fields of Death, Shifu noticed that Misha was watching them a lot more carefully. She looked like she was thinking of something about Tigress and Lin, but he shook it off. He left to observe his students leaving Misha alone with her thoughts.


	21. Chapter 21

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 21  
>CONFESSIONS OF THE STUDENTS<p>

The next day was filled with more training yet again. Tigress was on the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion, moving across the spinning rope while avoiding the clubs; it wasn't really that hard for her. Lin meanwhile was practicing his stances while balancing on the Jade Tortoise. His eyes were closed, but he was in perfect balance, so he didn't worry about falling.

"Is that tough Lin?" Misha asked.

"A bit Misha. I have to stay completely calm while doing this." Lin answered while keeping his eyes closed.

"I don't think I'd be able to do that." Misha laughed a bit. "I don't have your strength or reflexes or anything."

"True, but you have others things Misha like kindness. I'd rather you have that than strength any day."

The two of them started laughing together. This caught Tigress attention; she looked over her shoulder and saw them laugh together. She felt a twinge of jealousy at the sight of them smiling and having a good time. Misha shouldn't even be doing that; she promised that she wouldn't interfere with their training and-

WHAM!

Tigress had been thinking for too long. One of the clubs went right for her and hit her. Luckily, it wasn't the spikes that hit her but the blunt end. Still, the air was knocked out of her lungs, and she was launched into the air. After sailing a bit, her back crashed into the Jade Tortoise. Upon impact, it tilted forward sending Lin flying through the air. Luckily, the lynx knew what to do; as he landed, he turned his fall into a roll preventing himself from getting hurt too much.

"Tigress?" He went around the Jade Tortoise and saw her rubbing her aching back. He helped her too her feet. "Are you alright? What happened? You never mess up at the Swinging Clubs."

"Yes Tigress; what did happen?" Shifu said suddenly appearing. Tigress panicked a bit; she couldn't exactly say that she was distracted by Lin.

"I er...Master I..." she stammered.

"Lin, what happened?" Shifu asked.

"I didn't see master; I was busy with my own training." he replied.

"Misha?"

The tiger girls locked eyes. Misha had seen what had happened, but Tigress was unsure if she would tell. The latter silently gave her a look that said: "Please say no."

"What? I uh...I didn't see anything either master." she said quickly. Tigress mouthed a thanks before turning her attention back to her master.

Shifu surveyed the three of them for a while. "Very well then, you may resume your training."

As he walked away, Tigress sighed in relief. "I don't know how to thank you for that Misha." she said.

"Seriously though Tigress what did happen?" Lin asked. Tigress was still unsure of whether to answer truthfully. Seeing this, Lin turned to the other girl. "Misha?"

"Well while we were laughing, I saw her stare at us." Misha answered. "She looked pretty mad about something."

Lin turned to her with a raised eyebrow. He knew that she saw him and Misha laughing together and knew that she had felt a bit jealous again. He still couldn't figure out why she always had that kind of reaction when he spent time with Misha. Sure, he made sure he spent time with both girls, but if Tigress was with another guy, he wouldn't-

The thought bothered him. He pictured in his mind an image of Tigress chatting with some unknown stranger, even laughing together once in a while. He felt a sudden dislike for this stranger; he didn't like at all the way they chatted, the way they gazed into each others eyes...

"Er...Lin?" Tigress's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He had absolutely no idea why he thought that way. Why would he would be jealous like her. He just wanted to be in that places instead, to have Tigress stare into his eyes while he did the same to her, to those beautiful orange spheres of-

"I'm fine!" Lin shouted with a raised voice snapping himself out of his thoughts. "I-I mean I'm fine Tigress. No need for you to worry." He tried a laugh that sounded fake even to the two girls.

They went back to their training and didn't speak with each other for the rest of the morning. Even at lunch, they avoided making eye contact, but they would gaze at the other for a few moments before hastily turning away. Misha noticed this as well but said nothing.

Lin just couldn't look at her the same way ever again. Had something changed between them? He still cared about her like he always did. She was still his friend. That last word rang in his mind for a few moments. Was he just friends with Tigress?

He thought back to every moment he spent with her. That night when he poured her heart out to her, the talk they had by the riverside, her comforting him by his family's graves, standing up for her when she doubted herself, those were all good times. He realized that she seemed to be closer and closer to him.

She was more than a friend to him...He was...

There a small break after lunch before resuming their training. "Any plans Lin." tigress asked him.

"Er..." He hesitated a bit. Misha happened to be there giving him an idea. "Sorry Tigress, I just...really need to talk with Misha right now..."

He cursed himself mentally; that came out wrong; he could tell from the frown that appeared on Tigress's face. Before she could say anything, Shifu spoke out. "Tigress, a word with you please?"

Tigress couldn't help but feel dread as Lin looked at her with pity. Shifu was probably going to lecture her about what she did wrong earlier and other stuff like that. Lin just sighed, patted her back and said:" Good luck." before leaving with Misha.

"Where're we going Lin?" she asked.

"To my room Misha; we've something to discuss." Tigress heard everything and watched them leave. She then heard her master call her again and quickly went to him.

She found her master waiting in the Hall of Warriors in front of the Moon Pool gazing at its waters. "You summoned me master?" Tigress said.

Shifu turned around and walked up to her; she braced herself. "Tigress, what happened earlier?" he asked. "It isn't like you to make an error especially on the Swinging Clubs."

"I...master I was..." Once again, she found herself unable to say the truth.

"Hmm." Shifu walked around her surveying her from head to toe. "Could it be your balance?" he suggested.

"That's not it master." Tigress said quickly.

"Or perhaps it is in your reflexes." He punched, but Tigress blocked it easily.

"That's not it either master."

"Then was is it?" Shifu was starting to get a little annoyed. "I want the truth Tigress."

"The truth..." Tigress repeated. She bit her lip and stared at him; he wasn't going to be satisfied until she said it. Then again, who better to tell her secret to than him?

"Master..." She bit her lip and hesitated several times. "The truth is that I have..." She fidgeted a bit in place and raised her arms and then lowered them. "I have...feelings...for Lin..." Her face turned a noticeable shade of pink. "R...Romantic feelings..."

Shifu blinked in surprise. "Oh...Oh!" He didn't know what to say; he clearly wasn't expecting that, and from Tigress of all people! It was good that he'd already given her "the talk". That made things a whole lot easier.

"Well it looks like our Tigress's heartstrings have been pulled." Oogway said suddenly appearing while chuckling in amusement. That just only added to Tigress's embarrassment; she was just fine telling Shifu, but not the old turtle."I guess that even the strongest of warriors are helpless when it comes to matters of the heart."

"I promise it won't happen again master. It's just..." She sighed and smiled a bit. "I just can't deny how I truly feel about him."

Shifu sighed finally accepting the fact that she had fallen in love with her fellow student. "Yes well, as long as you promise to never get distracted. I suppose I could approve."

Tigress grinned. "Thank you master." she said before leaving the hall.

"Well you took things rather well considering that your best student has fallen in love." Oogway commented.

Shifu sighed. "I never even considered this happening, but I guess that she is no longer that little girl I met in the orphanage."

"Indeed. Your daughter has grown into a fine young lady." Oogway said.

Shifu pondered his master's words. For years, he'd been Tigress's master, but he wasn't much of a father to her. Maybe this was a chance to be a good one for her.

Meanwhile...

Lin looked around for any signs of anyone approaching before closing the door to his room. "What d'you need Lin?" Misha asked him.

He looked at her and paused for a bit. He wondered how she would react to what he would say. Then again, she was his best friends; he was sure her reaction wouldn't be that bad.

"Misha I...need your help with something." he told her.

Misha shrugged. "Sure Lin; I'll help out. Just tell me what's up." she replied. Lin was glad about her willingness to help him. After putting it off for a few more moments, he turned slightly pink and told her, wondering how she'd react.

"Misha, I'm...in love with Tigress..."


	22. Chapter 22

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 22  
>MISHA'S PLAN<p>

"Misha, I'm...in love with Tigress..."

Lin paused for a bit waiting for the tiger girl's reaction, hoping that she'd take it well. Misha stared at him for a few seconds before finally raising an eyebrow.

"You serious Lin? I mean c'mon, this's Tigress we're talking about." she said.

"I know, but..." He smiled. "She's the most amazing girl I've ever met Misha. I know she can be a bit quick-tempered and quiet and other things, but she she's just...Don't get me started Misha; I don't think I'd be able to run out of things to say about her."

Misha nodded. "Uh huh...OK. You really being honest Lin? D'you really love Tigress?" She looked him in the eye He stared back at her unblinking.

"I do Misha. This is how I feel, and nothing will ever change that."

She continued to stare at him for a few seconds before breaking into a smile. "Sorry, just making sure you know what you're getting into. So..."

"So what?" Lin asked.

"So...Linny here like a girl." She giggled and poked him in a teasing way.

Lin laughed nervously as he playfully pushed her hand away. "So, you tell her yet?" Misha asked.

"I well...no..." Lin admitted. "I just...what if she rejects me?" he asked nervously.

"Hey, you won't know unless you do it. And if she does break you heart, maybe I'll talk to her a bit." Lin gave a nervous laugh at what she said. Like she could actually take Tigress on.

She gasped and covered her mouth. "I know; I'll hook you guys up! I'll get you guys together Lin; I promise. Just let me run to the village for a while to plan."

"W...wait, what if something happens to you?" he asked worriedly fearing that she might end up getting kidnapped again.

Misha just smiled at him. "I'll be more careful now. Just relax; I'll be fine; See ya!"

Lin could hear her giggling as she ran out the room. He was glad that she was willing to help him out, but most of the work would have to come from him. Then again, he felt a bit nervous about what Misha had in store for him. He just sighed and left his room to resume his training.

* * *

><p>Misha was gone the whole afternoon. By the time it was early in the evening, Lin was starting to worry about her again. "I can't seem to find Misha anywhere." Tigress said.<p>

"Oh, she ran down to the village a while ago. She said she had 'plans' for us?" Lin told her.

Tigress was taken aback. "Us as in you and I?" She felt nervous about spending some alone time with Lin.

"I'm not sure...Maybe it's for the three of us. Of course I...wouldn't mind just spending some time with you..." His voice dropped as he finished his sentence, but Tigress still heard every word. Before, she could reply, Misha suddenly showed up grinning.

Lin was glad to see her alright. Before he could ask her any question, she grabbed both of them by their wrists and dragged them away. They asked her a bunch of questions ans they walked, but she ignored them. Eventually, she came across the two masters.

"Hey master Oogway, mind if we hang out tonight?" she asked them causing Lin and Tigress to look at her in surprise.

"Hang out?" Shifu asked.

"Yeah." Misha put her arms around the two students. "Just three friends hitting the village...y'know, that kind of stuff. C'mon guys."

Shifu turned to Oogway for an answer. He stroked his chin. "Very well, I approve. Have fun you three."

"Oh we will master. C'mon Lin, let's get your cloak on and go already." Misha said before dragging Tigress and Lin away from the masters.

Later in the village...

"So where exactly are we going Misha?" Tigress asked as they walked through the village.

"There's this restaurant I found when I was down here; I was thinking that we can eat and hang out there." Misha explained as they walked.

"She seems very excited for some reason." Lin said to Tigress. "She's planning something; I just know it."

"But what could it be?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, I'm sure all of us will enjoy it." He smiled at Tigress who smiled back.

"OK guys, we're here." Misha said stopping. Tigress and Lin did the same and looked at the building before them. It was a large restaurant called "The Jade Blossom". It looked like a really classy restaurant complete with its own band to play while the diners eat.

Lin and Tigress looked around the restaurant wondering if Misha really wanted them to eat there. "Well it is rather classy." Lin said to her.

"Misha must have a good taste in restaurants." Tigress added.

"May I help you ma'am?" a goat waiter said.

"Yeah, table for three please." Misha said.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid that can't accommodate all of you. We can only accommodate two of you." the waiter said.

"Oh..." Misha said.

"Look Misha, why don't we just eat somewhere else?" Lin suggested.

She shook her head. "No you guys can eat here instead. I don't mind." she said.

"What?" Tigress and Lin said at the same time. Both of them were trying to take in Misha's suggestion that they dine in a fancy restaurant alone.

"It's almost like a date…" they both thought blushing slightly.

"What-But-I but-" they stuttered nervously at the same time.

Misha just grinned at them. "Relax guys; it's OK with me." She turned to the waiter. "I'll pay for everything; just send the bill to Misha, Jade Palace, Valley of Peace."

"Wait Misha, we didn't agree to anything." Tigress blurted out. Unfortunately, Misha ignored her.

"I'm gonna go home; have a nice evening you two!" She winked at Lin before running off. Lin tried to stop her, but the waiter took him and Tigress away to their table.

A few seconds later, Misha reappeared at the restaurant and approached the waiter. "Well?" she asked him.

"They are at their tables now ma'am. Everything is going just as you planned." he replied. Misha nodded and rubbed her paws together.

"Alright, that's good. Just keep them as happy as they can get. Tell the musicians to play after their meal; make it something romantic." she instructed.

"Of course ma'am." The waiter left to do just that. Misha stayed in the restaurant and spyed on the couple the whole time with a grin on her face.

"I hope everything goes the way I planned it." she muttered with a wide grin.


	23. Chapter 23

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 23  
>DINNER FOR TWO<p>

Tigress and Lin stared dumbfounded at the sight before them.

The area before them was separate from the rest of the restaurant. The location was a clearing surrounded by trees where several lanterns were hung. Right in the middle of the clearing underneath the clear night sky was a table with candles on top. Every now and then, a fresh, evening breeze would blow across the area. Over-all, this place just screamed romantic.

"Is this really the only table available?" Tigress asked not taking her eyes off it.

"It is ma'am." the waiter answered simply.

Lin on the other hand couldn't stop staring at the table. He could almost imagine having dinner with Tigress there, just them, alone, under the stars. It's almost like a date! "We didn't agree to anything." he said nervously.

"Maybe so, but that young lady did promise to pay for everything. We never turn down good clean money."

Lin turned towards Tigress and shrugged nervously. "I guess it would be enjoyable. What about you Tigress?...Would you...like to have dinner with me?" he said in a shy voice.

"I...with you...?" Tigress asked turning red in the face. She tried to take in what he had just said. This was nothing like the last time they ate out together. Sure it was just the two of them, but where they ate wasn't anywhere near as romantic as the place before her.

"Yes well..." Lin scratched the back of his head nervously. "Only if it's fine with you of course. If you'd rather head back to the palace, then that's fine with me..."

Tigress considered that choice. Then again, when would be the next time she'd be able to spend a romantic evening with Lin? She felt so nervous about the whole situation, but she sucked it up. "No...I'd love to eat here...with you..." she answered. "Besides, it wouldn't be fair to Misha wouldn't it?"

Lin smiled and felt his face heat up with a blush. The waiter took them to their seats, and they sat down. They gave their orders to the waiter who took if all down. He turned to leave but stopped and went to Lin. "Allow me to take your cloak sir."

"W-Wait!" Lin protested, but his cloak was already with the waiter who walked away. He felt like covering his face or something. "This is bad; I could be endangering you and everyone else in the valley." he said feeling tense.

Tigress sighed and shook her head. "You and I are the only ones here Lin." she pointed out. He noticed that she had said his name out loud. "Besides, it isn't as if you're the only lynx in all of China. And I won't say your name to anyone else here."

Lin got over his fear and calmed down. "I suppose you're right." He quickly flashed her a grin. "Besides, you did say you like this view better."

The two of them began laughing together for a long time. Tigress just loved that,spending time alone with Lin. It has been quite a while since they last did something together. Some alone time with Lin was just the thing she needed. She decided to just kick back and enjoy some time with him.

"So Lin...what exactly did you and Misha talk about?" she asked.

"What? Er...not much." Lin tried to hastily change the topic. "What about master Shifu? Was his lecture as bad as I'd expected it to be?"

"No. It went well; he was just curious to why I was hit earlier during training."

"Hmm." Lin knew that is was because she got jealous of him and Misha. He didn't want to bring it up. "So what did you tell him?"

Tigress blushed a bit and turned away to hide it;she couldn't exactly tell him exactly what went between her and Shifu. "I well...he just told me to stay focused from now on."

He could tell that she was hiding something from him and pouted. "Tigress, you know that you can tell me anything. Just say so, and I swear I won't turn you down."

She smiled at him. "Thank you Lin; it's comforting knowing I've someone like you."

Lin smiled back at her. Before he could say anything else, the waiter showed up with their meals. They didn't talk much while they ate, but a certain tiger girl who spying on them the whole time was going to changed that. As the waiter walked back into the restaurant, she stopped him.

"Get the musicians." she told him. He nodded and left to do just that. A few minutes later, a group of four musicians showed up next to Misha. "Alright guys; get out there and give them the best romance thing you got."

As they ate, Lin noticed the musicians surround them. "Do you mind if we play?" one of them asked.

"Not at all. Go right ahead; some music would be nice right now." he replied.

The musicians looked very pleased with themselves. They began to play music, but not just any kind of music. It was slow and as romantic as the setting. This only made the two of them nervous. For some reason, the musicians kept looking at Lin and smiling mischievously. Lin tried to focus on something other than them and instead looked before him.

_There you see her_  
><em>Sitting there across the way<em>  
><em>She don't got a lot to say,<em>  
><em>But there's something about her.<em>

Lin was taking a drink when that first stanza came out and nearly spat his drink out. He hastily swallowed it and ended up meeting Tigress's eye causing him to blush a bit.

_And you don't know why,_  
><em>But you're dying to try<em>  
><em>You wanna,<em>  
><em>Kiss the girl<em>

One of the musicians had gone up and whispered the last line into his ear. Lin turned scarlet and waved him off. As he tried continuing eating, Tigress just stared at him also reacting to the , you want her

_Yes, you want her_  
><em>Look at her you know you do<em>  
><em>Possible she wants you too,<em>  
><em>There is one way to ask her.<em>

_It don't take a word,  
>Not a single word, go on and<em>  
><em>Kiss the Girl<em>

Now Tigress was starting to feel embarrassed. She silently moved her food across her plate with her fork while she made eye contact with him. For the split second that their eyes met, their hearts raced. A split second later, they both turned away from each other. She looked at the table and saw Lin's paw on it just within her reach. She was thinking that if she held them...would he kiss her...?

_Sha la la la la la_  
><em>My oh my<em>  
><em>Look like the boy too shy<em>  
><em>He ain't gonna kiss the girl<em>

_Sha la la la la la_  
><em>Ain't that sad<em>  
><em>Ain't it a shame, too bad<em>  
><em>You're gonna miss the girl.<em>

"Strange choice for a song." Tigress commented breaking the silence.

Lin raised an eyebrow at her. "Indeed." In his mind, he just knew that this whole thing was Misha's idea.

_Sha la la la la la_  
><em>Don't be scared<em>  
><em>You've got the mood prepared<em>  
><em>Go on and kiss the girl<em>

Lin's paws slowly inched forwards and began to approach Tigress's. She saw this happening and didn't know how to react, but her own paws instinctively did the same.

_Sha la la la la la  
>Don't stop now<br>Don't try to hide it how, you wanna  
>Kiss the girl<em>

Their paws met, and they looked up at each other. They just stared at each other for several moments until Lin held her paws in his. Their hearts were going insane, when he did.

_Sha la la la la la_  
><em>Float along, and listen to the song<em>  
><em>The song say, kiss the girl<em>

The musicians approached them as they played the last part. Lin didn't notice their approach; he was too busy with tigress.

_Sha la la la la_  
><em>The music play<em>  
><em>Do what the music says<em>  
><em>You gotta, kiss the girl<em>

The last line was once again whispered into his ear startling him and causing him to let go of Tigress. He got really flustered and started telling the musicians off. Tigress saw his red face and laughed a bit. Lin heard this and looked at her.

"What's so funny?"

"You with your red face while acting flustered." Tigress answered as she laughed. He pouted which only made her laugh harder.

He suddenly had an idea to get back at Tigress and have fun at the same time. He beckoned one of the musicians over and whispered in his ear. The latter laughed and left to tell his companions. As he did so, Lin turned to Tigress and asked: "Would you like to dance with me Tigress?"

That wiped the smile off her. "Wh-What? I don't...know..."

He got up and walked towards her. "Don't worry; Misha taught me a few steps before, and I guess I can teach you. So what do you say?" He offered his paw to her.

She stared at it for a while deciding what to do. Misha, who was still spying on them kept muttering: "Take it! Take it!". Lin stood there thinking that maybe this was a bad idea; he really didn't want to force her to do something she wouldn't want to do. But she suddenly held his paw and stood up.

Lin gestured the musicians to start playing. The music they produced was slow and just right for dancing. "Now place your paw on my shoulder and waist." Tigress slowly did so. He placed his paw on her waist, and she flinched away in response.

"I'm sorry; I'm not used to being held like this." she apologized. Lin was a lot more gentle this time when he placed his paws on her waist and shoulder. Tigress took a big gulp.

"Now slowly." They began to sway around with the music. "Don't think about what step to do next; just go with the music. Let it dictate your next movement. Just...look at me..."

Tigress nodded and looked at him noticing that his face was just as red as hers. As she stared into his eyes, she noticed that her feet were moving on their own with perfect synchronization with Lin and the music.

"Twirl for me." Lin said quietly. Tigress did just that perfectly. "Good; it's nice to know you're good at other things other than Kung Fu."

Tigress smiled at his compliment. "So...you danced with Misha before...what was it like...?"

Lin shook his head. "I don't remember much...but I assure you, I'd chose to dance with you over Misha...over anyone any day..." he said smiling. As her face turned scarlet, he took her paw and kissed it.

Tigress's head began to spin; her heart was going so fast, she could almost hear it. Lin smiled in a goofy way at her reaction. He looked over his shoulder to the musicians and gave them a look that said: "Happy?"

Unfortunately, they shook their head and gestured that he actually kiss her! Lin's eyes widened as he turned back to Tigress.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He placed a finger on her lips to silence her.

"Tigress...I..." he began but didn't finish. "I'm sorry; it's just hard to convey what I mean in words..."

"Then do so with acts." she told him.

Lin sighed and pulled her close. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Tigress just noticed how close his lips were to her own. She also noticed that he was slowly inching towards her, his lips aligned with hers.

Tigress began to freak out; she tried to say something, but he was beginning to close it. After a while, she found herself doing the same thing; she wanted this, to be this close to him. She leaned her face forward and slowly closed her eyes ready to receive his kiss.

When her eyes were open by just a millimeter, she saw something shoot out of the tree behind Lin.

Her eyes snapped open, and she violently shoved Lin away. Both of them fell on their butts and looked at the other. They made eye contact for a split second before an arrow struck the ground between them.

Tigress immediately got to her feet. She grabbed a knife and threw it at the tree. There was a thunk as it collided with it before a shadowy figure carrying a bow jumped towards the next tree.

"It's that archer!" Lin yelled getting to his feet. As the musicians ran around in terror, the figure leaped from tree until it reached the restaurant. There was a crash as it burst through a glass window followed by a girl's scream.

Lin's blood froze when he heard the scream. "Misha!" He bolted towards the restaurant with Tigress behind him.

Apparently, the other dinners had heard the crash. Most of them were on their feet wondering just what the hell was going on. As the employees tried restoring order, Lin dashed in along with Tigress. He looked around and dashed into a nearby hallway. He ran to the first door he found and threw it open.

The first thing he saw was the goat waiter lying in a pool of his own blood which streamed from a wound on his neck, a wound with an arrow still in it. Leaning against the right wall next to a bunch of clay jars breathing rapidly and staring at the dead body while clutching her left arm which also had an arrow in it was Misha. The wound was just a few inches below her shoulder.

"Misha." Lin went over to her and tried calming her down. Tigress stepped into the room, examined it and turned to Misha.

"What happened Misha?"

"I...I...I was just helping that waiter guy get some stuff..." she said still staring at the dead waiter. "Th...Then this guy in a cloak showed up and he...he..."

"Sh...Calm down Misha, you're safe." Lin said comfortingly. "Tigress, help me get this arrow out of her."

Lin held Misha's arm steady while Tigress held the shaft and counted to three before pulling it out causing Misha to wince in pain. Lin found some cloth nearby and bandaged the wound. Just then, the other employees found them and freaked out at the sight of the dead waiter.

"Did you get a look at that archer's face?" Tigress asked.

Misha shook her head. "N..No. I couldn't see his face. He just burst in and killed the waiter, and I...I just froze...He said something...He said he knew who you were Lin..." She looked right at him. "He said...that unless you die; he won't try to stop killing you and everyone you care for..."

Lin couldn't believe what he was hearing. He heard Tigress say his name, but he didn't respond. Just who is this mysterious archer who'd stop at nothing until he's dead? If any of them, Tigress, Misha, masters Oogway and Shifu got killed, it'd be his fault...

What was he supposed to do?

* * *

><p>The song above was Kiss The Girl from Little Mermaid.<p> 


	24. Chapter 24

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 24  
>INVESTIGATION PART 1<p>

As the authorities took over the incident at the restaurant, Lin, Tigress and Misha decided to just go home. Lin got his cloak back and didn't hesitate to put it back on and cover his face. As his face disappeared under the hood, Tigress caught a glimpse of it. It was full of grief and confusion which made her worried.

Lin was also very quiet during the trip home. When they arrived, he went straight to the barracks along with Misha; Tigress remained to tell her masters what had happened at the Jade Blossom. Lin just couldn't wait to go to sleep and end this day already.

"Hey Lin?" Misha's voice said. He left his room and entered hers.

"Yes Misha?"

She shrugged before speaking. "Look...I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. I just wanted to make everything perfect for you guys..." she said sadly.

Despite everything that had just happened at the restaurant, Lin was able to smile a bit. He walked over to his best friend and patted her shoulder. She looked up at him.

"What happened earlier wasn't your fault." he said. "What you did earlier was very thoughtful and kind of you." He sighed. "I'm just glad that no matter what happens between me and Tigress, I still have you to count on."

She smiled for a bit. "So what're you gonna do about that archer guy?"

Lin shook his head and looked down. "I'm not exactly certain what I should do. But no more going off to the village alone for you; I'm sorry but I can't risk you being alone with that killer on the run."

"No it's OK. I understand. Besides," She jerked her head to her left arm. "I really can't do much with this can't I."

Lin chuckled a bit before turning around to leave. An idea suddenly struck him, and he turned back to her. "One more thing Misha."

"Yeah? What Lin?" Misha asked.

He took a deep breath. "Just a little request: the next time you play matchmaker and try to get me and Tigress together..."

He suddenly leaned towards her until his nose was just half an inch away from hers causing her to back up a bit. His face wasn't angry; it was more annoyed.

"DON'T! PRESSURE ME!"

He suddenly turned around and left the room passing by Tigress who heard him yell before entering his own room and going to sleep. "What was that about?" Tigress asked peeking into Misha's room.

"What? Uh..." Misha's eyes darted from side to side. "It's nothing really. Lin's just really stressed out right now."

Tigress sighed and turned in the direction of Lin's room feeling worried about him. She went over there and knocked, but Lin didn't answer. "Er...Lin? I know you're awake." Still no response; Tigress sighed. "Look, I understand that you're feeling depressed after what happened earlier...but if it would make you feel better...aside from that archer's appearance..." She smiled and turned pink slightly. "I...I truly enjoyed tonight..."

She turned away and went into her own room to sleep. Lin however was awake and heard the whole thing. He sighed and turned in his sleep while trying to take in Tigress words. Before everything was ruined, he remembered feeling so happy when he was so close to her. If it hadn't been for that archer, he would've actually done it; he would've kissed her...

He was so close to showing her how he felt. He wanted to make the next time; for sure, he'd tell her everything. Then again, if Misha planned something and went overboard with it...things might just get a little more difficult...

The next day...

Misha's wound wasn't that deep, but it still hurt ever time she tried moving her arm. It was just a good thing that she was right-handed, so she didn't have too much of a difficult time. Lin on the other hand became more over-protective over her and helped her out whenever she needed something like changing her bandage for instance.

When he wasn't worrying about Misha or about that mysterious archer, he thought about that night with Tigress. Heck, Tigress herself couldn't stop thinking about that night. During her spare time when she wasn't doing any training, she just thought about what could've happened that night.

"I was so close..." she would think frustratingly to herself as she smacked a few dummies around; it really did help ease her frustration. It also help imagining that archer's face (she didn't exactly see it, but still...) on those dummies. If he ever threatened Lin again, she'd give him worse than what she was giving the dummies.

"What did the dummies ever do to you?" Lin's voice said. Tigress stopped and looked around seeing broken dummy parts and sawdust scattered around her. Lin approached her. "Anyway, I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything Lin." she replied.

"I need you to stay here and protect Misha while I go to the village to investigate." Lin explained. "I'll find out who that archer was and stop him before he hurts anyone else."

"Why don't I go with you? What if that archer strikes again?" Tigress asked worrying for his safety.

"I'll be fine; i'm more concerned with Misha's safety rather than my own."

"How many times has that archer tried to kill you?" Tigress countered. "Almost twice and he was close to doing so as well. I'm not letting you go alone. Masters Shifu and Oogway can protect Misha while we're gone."

Lin sighed and shook his head in defeat. "Well...I guess I could use another hand in the investigation. Very well Tigress; you may join me."

"Good. Do you have any leads?"

He shook his head again. "All I have are two arrows and what Misha witnessed. Misha's already told us everything she knows, so I guess we should head back to the Jade Blossom and try to find some clues."

Tigress raised an eyebrow. "Since when were you a detective?"

"Since right now. Just call me 'private eye Lin.'" Lin said earning a laugh from Tigress.

"Let's go 'private eye'. There's a killer we need to catch." tigress said leading the way. Lin followed suit shortly afterwards.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25  
>INVESTIGATION PART 2<p>

"Where's you guys going?" Misha asked as Lin got his cloak from his room.

He swung it over him. "We're heading to the village to investigate that room that archer attacked you. He might've left clues that would lead to his identity. Until we're back, you should stay here and wait."

Misha paused for a bit. "OK. Why don't I get masters Shifu and Oogway to check up on me every half hour?" she suggested.

Lin was glad that he had one less thing to worry about. He bade her goodbye before putting his hod up and meeting up with Tigress at the entrance of the palace.

"Misha said she'll have masters Shifu and Oogway check up on her." he told her as they descended down the stairs.

"At least we won't have to worry about her for a while." Tigress replied. "We can focus more on the investigation."

"Speaking of which," Lin pulled out the two arrows from under his cloak. "Do you know where I could find the weapon's district of the village? maybe someone there can identify who made this arrow."

"It's this way." She led him to a part of the village which was filled with the sound of hammers striking hot steel and the scent of hard, stressful work. It was the perfect place to ask around.

They approached a boar who was busy sharpening a few arrowheads. "Excuse me," Lin began. He looked up at him. "Sorry to bother you, but could you identify these two arrows?"

He handed the boar the arrows. He examined them for a while feeling then and tapping the arrowhead. "I know every arrow crafter in the valley and not one of 'em made this." he said.

"So they were made outside the valley...You don't recognize the design at all?" Tigress asked.

The boar shook his head. "Try askin' Mao over there. He's got some friends outta the valley." He pointed at some goat a few houses away. They thanked him and headed for the goat the boar pointed at.

"Are you Mao?" Tigress asked.

"Yes." he answered simply.

"Do you know who made these arrows?" Lin handed them to Mao who examined them.

"No. I'm sorry." Mao replied.

Lin sighed gloomily. "Thank you for your time." he said before leaving.

"I guess we should investigate the restaurant then." Tigress said as they walked. "Maybe we'll be luckier there..." She looked to her left and noticed that Lin was gone. She was tempted to call out his name, but she looked around first.

She found him talking to a young boar who was hammering on a piece of red-hot iron. After striking it a few times, he looked up at Lin who nodded causing the young boy to smile. Lin patted his shoulder before walking off to Tigress.

"Sorry for the wait Tigress." He looked back at the young boar who waved at him. Lin waved back before going on his way.

"What was that about?" Tigress asked.

"That boy was having some difficulty with his work; I gave him some pointers, so he's all right now." Lin answered.

Tigress thought about that for a while. "Your father was a silversmith." she remembered.

He nodded. "I learned a bi from him. I'm no expert, but I can, given the right materials, make a decent sword or something similar. I made my LinkStar myself." He sighed gloomily. "My father was the one who taught me everything..."

He was silent for a while as he thought of his dad. "He must have been a great teacher." Tigress said trying to cheer him up.

Lin was able to smile a bit. "He was. He's serious most of the time but knows when to have fun and enjoy. Actually, I have more of my mother's personality in me...I wish you would've met them Tigress...You would've loved them to..." He ended sadly.

Tigress looked at him worriedly and held his shoulder comfortingly causing him to stop. "I've already met them through you. And all I need to know about them is that they had a wonderful son such as yourself."

Lin smiled at her instantly feeling a lot better. "Thank you Tigress." He gave her a quick hug which she returned. Then they realized that they were in public and hastily parted and went on their way to the restaurant, neither one of them speaking the entire time.

When they arrived, the Jade Blossom was still as full as usual. They approached one of the employees who looked a little tense." Excuse me." Tigress said.

He looked at them and instantly recognized them from the previous night. "Oh it's you two." he said.

"We're here to investigate the room where the waiter was murdered. Is it still intact?" Lin asked.

He gulped nervously which made the students worry. "I'll explain when you see it."

Tigress and Lin looked at each other confused before following him. They were led to the same room in which Misha was attacked, but there were two things that were different. First, the body of the waiter was remove as well as his blood. Second, one of the large clay jars on the right side of the room seemed to have been tipped over. It pieces were scattered across the room.

"What happened?" Lin asked.

The employee began his story. "A few minutes before you two arrived, I sensed that someone was in this room. I knocked and asked who it was, but then I heard the jar fall and break. I immediately opened the door, but the room as empty. I swear that someone was in here."

"Whoever it was must have crept in through the window." Tigress said looking at it. Lin on the other hand bent down and moved the pieces of the broken jar arround.

"Was there anything inside the jar?" he asked.

He shook his head. "No. It's been empty since last night when that archer attacked. And aside from moving the body and the jar, this room's been untouched since then." He shuddered at that memory.

Lin stood up and did some thinking. He looked outside the broken window. "Maybe there's a clue in the trees." He jumped out of it and leaped onto the closest tree.

"Lin?" Tigress watched as he quickly examined the tree before jumping into another one. She followed him outside and watched him move to the tree where the archer was before the arrow was fired.

"Have you found anything?" Tigress asked.

"Yes." Lin pulled away one of the tree branches revealing to her the knife she threw still stuck in the tree. "You have an amazing throw tigress. Other than that, nothing."

Lin jumped down from the tree and Tigress asked: "What now?"

"We should head back to the palace. We can put together what we know there." he answered. They thanked the employee for his story and headed back to the palace.

Later...

As soon as they arrived, the first thing Lin did was go to Misha's room to check if she was fine. To his enormous relief, he found her virtually unscratched. "You're safe...I'm so glad..."

"Yeah well, master Shifu and Oogway did check up on me every half hour.." Misha winced and clutched her left arm. "Plus, my arm's acting up again, so I wasn't able to do much. Anyway, how'd the investigation go?"

"Not so well." Tigress answered with a sigh.

"Here's what we know Misha." Lin began. "We learned that the archer came from outside the Valley of Peace since the arrows weren't made here. We also know that he, for some unknown reason, returned to the Jade Blossom and broke one of the jars."

"Wait, I didn't see him put anything in those jars." Misha asked.

"We know that, but that just makes us wonder why he went through the trouble of returning to the restaurant if it was just to tip over a jar." Tigress answered before turning to Lin. "Maybe he was waiting for you to show up so he can ambush you."

"I doubt it." he answered. "If he knew I was coming, why didn't he attack when I entered the room and on our way back to the palace? He went back to that restaurant not to kill me; he went for some other reason. I just don't know what that is."

"So basically, the trail's cold?" Misha asked.

"I'm afraid so Misha." He sighed. "But I just learned something more disturbing today."

Tigress raised an eyebrow. "What Lin?"

Lin shrugged before speaking. "That archer came from outside the Valley of Peace, and there's only one person outside the valley, in the entire world probably, who'd want me dead."

Tigress instantly knew who he was talking about. "Geng Wu..."

He nodded grimly. "We don't a anything that connects the two of them together, but if he were to tell Geng Wu where I was..."

"He'd attack the valley." Tigress said suddenly alarmed. Misha stared wide-eyed at the both of them. "We can't just stand here; we have to find him!"

"We're out of leads Tigress." Lin reminded. "Our only hope now is that he decide to kill me himself."

"As if I'll let him." Tigress said seriously.

Lin nodded. "We've done all we can today; we should get some rest for tomorrow."

Tigress calmed down a bit and nodded. However, neither of them could sleep well that night. There were just too many unanswered questions about that archer. Both of them knew that as long as they don't figure out the truth, he'll always be there watching Lin, waiting for the right moment to end his life.


	26. Chapter 26

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 26  
>OPERATION GELINTITO<p>

Lin was still pretty depressed when he woke up the next morning. He still couldn't stop thinking about that archer and when he'd strike next. His greeting to his master that morning showed just how depressed he was.

"Hey Lin," Misha said as Tigress went ahead for training. "I know you're depressed and all, but I know something that might cheer you up."

"What Misha?" he asked.

She pointed at her left arm. "My arm's all better now." She pulled up her sleeve until it revealed an ugly scar right where she was hit by the arrow. "I know the scar's pretty ugly, but I wear long sleeves, so no one will notice." She rolled her sleeve back down. "While you guys were gone, I was able to come up with my next plan for Operation GeLiNTiTo."

"Geli-what?" Lin asked wondering if he got that right.

"Geh-Li-En-Tee-Toh." Misha said breaking it down. "'Get Lin and Tigress Together.' I just know my plan will work this time."

"Yes but Misha," Lin said nervously. "Won't you be alone if your plan works? What if that archer strikes again?"

"Don't worry; I'll be somewhere safe the whole time." she replied. "And I'll be real careful too."

Lin thought about it while pursing his lips. While he did appreciate her efforts, he didn't want to endanger her. What if that archer struck again and something worse happened? "I'm still unsure about this Misha." he said.

"Lin, I'm just planning a picnic/dinner between you and Tigress under the Sacred Peach Tree." Misha said. "I'll be in the palace and we'll all be totally safe."

Lin was felt relieved. "Why didn't you say so?" he asked. "Fine. I'm happy with that plan. Although..."

He went to a nearby window and looked skywards. He could see dark clouds were everywhere which might ruin Misha's plan. "I hope you have a back-up plan Misha. The rainy season is starting, and I hope you have something in mind in case it rains tonight."

"Hmm...good point." Misha said before shrugging. "Meh, I'll come up with something. Just wait 'til tonight; I'm gonna make it real special."

She ran off on her own. Lin sighed and went on to training meeting up with Tigress as he did. "Misha seems excied about something. What is she up to?"

"GeLiNTiTo." Lin muttered.

Tigress looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Gel-what?"

"Don't ask." Lin said simply before beginning training.

* * *

><p>Misha spent the entire time indoors to prepare for Lin's dinner with Tigress, something which almost guaranteed her safety from that archer. It was still very cloudy which might be some trouble if it rained. Luckily, it didn't rain the whole day which might meant that it would be the same that night during their dinner.<p>

Speaking of their dinner, Tigress didn't know about it yet. At the end of that afternoon's training, he decided to tell her about it. "Er...Tigress?" he began reluctantly. "Listen, would you like to have dinner with just me tonight?"

"W...What?" Tigress turned a little pink.

"O-Of course, if it's fine with you." Lin said hastily. "If you're preoccupied with other plans tonight, then-"

"No no...I'm...free tonight Lin." Tigress said nervously. "And I'd love to have dinner with you."

"That's splendid." Lin said with a smile. "Misha's already set up a place. Let me show you." He took her hand which made Tigress blush some more and led her away.

Misha's set-up was romantic, but not as romantic as the Jade Blossom. Rather than an entire table set with candles and all that, there were just two covered bowls and two pairs of chopsticks sitting near the edge of the cliff near the Peach tree. Misha was no where to be found, but Lin whispered her a silent "Thank you."

He and Tigress took their bowls and sat by the cliff's edge. Tigress removed the bowl revealing a fresh batch of stir-fried tofu.

"They're your favorite aren't they?" Lin asked with a smile remembering that fact about her. He uncovered his bowl revealing a delicious-smelling noodles mixed in with some vegetables. "As for me, I prefer something simple." He raised his chop sticks. "Dig in."

For a while, they ate in silence. They both noticed that the sky was still cloudy, so neither the stars nor the moon were visible; they thought that would've made things more romantic.

As they ate, they thought about the other and the opportunity presented to them. With them being somewhere safe where the archer wouldn't strike, now was the perfect moment to confess. Then again, they were both so nervous. Who would end up confessing first?

"So...you love noodles Lin?" Tigress asked. She mentally cursed herself; she was supposed to be working up the courage to confess, and here she was asking if he liked noodles.

"Indeed I do." he replied taking a sip. "It's my favorite dish; I only have a few other favorites though."

"Like what?" tigress asked curiously.

"Well...My favorite color's dark teal." Lin said. "How about yours Tigress?"

"I er...don't exactly like one color in particular..."

"Oh...Well, is there any one that you just seem to like?"

Tigress looked at his face and said the first thing that came to her mind. "Dark yellow."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "You mean like flowers and such?"

Tigress shook her head slowly. "No...like your eyes Lin..."

That comment took him by surprise. He grinned sheepishly while a blush formed on his face. "You have pretty eyes yourself Tigress." he said making her smile.

"This is the moment you've been waiting for." Lin thought tensely. "To hell with your fear of rejection. Just tell her; it isn't that hard!"

Unknown to him, Tigress was having the same mental struggle. "Tell him or not? What do I do?" She almost wished her feminine side would pop in again and help out. Unfortunately, she heard no other voices in her head but her own.

While they laughed, their paws ended up meeting causing both of them to stop. "Oh I...er..." they both said pulling it away blushingly. They didn't say anything for a while, but then their eyes met. Before long, a smile appeared on their faces. The next thing they knew, their paws were intertwined. They pulled themselves closer to one another.

"This feels so..." Tigress said feeling Lin's warmth through his paw. She couldn't describe it at all; it was only Lin that could ever make her feel this way.

"Indeed so Tigress." Lin said enjoying every moment. "This feeling truly is indescribable. I've...never felt this happy without you Tigress."

"The feeling's mutual Lin." she told him. She then took a deep breath and braced herself. "Lin...I...I've been meaning to tell you something..."

He stayed silent so he could listen. She sighed and began. "I know we might have started off on the wrong foot seeing as we have two completely opposite personalities."

He laughed a bit. "Indeed we do." he agreed. He then let her continue.

"Right. It took time for me to adjust to you while you already accepted who I was." she said guiltily. "In any case, I'm glad I was able to become your friend."

Lin smiled but stayed silent. "We've been through a lot together, and over the time...I've been thinking about you frequently. It's been happening for a while, and well...I..." She began to stutter.

"Tigress?" Lin asked worriedly.

She had difficulty getting words out. Apparently, the closer she got to actually saying it. "Lin...I truly enjoy every minute I spent with you..." She was almost there. "And well...I began to...feel things...for you..."

Here it comes. "Lin...I want you to know...that I...I...lo...Argh!"

She turned away from him frustratingly and covered her face. "Why is this so hard I've faced tougher things than this." she thought to herself. Would she ever be able to tell him?

"Tigress." Lin took her paws and held them in his. "You should take your own advice; if you can't tell me, then show me."

Tigress stared at him for a while slowly gaining courage from him. She took a deep breath and leaned her head towards him. Their hearts were going insane at this moment. Lin did the same thing she did. Neither of them closed their eyes; they were fully concentrated on the other, on being this close to them. Then slowly, their lips moved towards each other...

They suddenly felt a presence behind them and hastily turned. There was a yelp as Misha stumbled back. "Relax guys; it's just me." she said.

"Misha...what are you doing here?" Lin asked slightly agitated.

"I was just checking on you guys. Doing OK?" she asked.

"Yes Misha; we're perfectly fine." Tigress answered. She was about to suggest to Misha that she leave when something cut her. A flash of lightning appeared in the distance followed by thunder.

Lin frowned at that. "I think the storm's about to begin; we better get inside before it rains."

He was reluctant to let go of Tigress, but he had to as he stood up. Silently, the tree of them hurried back to the barracks before the rain could start. Once there, they went for their respective rooms except for Lin. He followed Misha into her room.

"Your timing was wrong in so many ways Misha. I was so close." he said. He couldn't help but feel frustrated about this.

"Really?" Misha asked. "Oh Lin I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I just wanted to check on you guys and make sure you're OK."

Lin sighed. "I know, and I appreciate your concern and your efforts. I just...ugh." He didn't know what to do. Misha approached him.

"Tell you what, my next plan'll work for sure." she told him. "I'll set up the dinner right here in that palace; I'll even bring back those musicians from the Jade Blossom, so you guys can dance."

Lin was able to smile. "That will be great Misha. Maybe you could dance too; you did teach me everything I know."

"Y-Yeah. It's uh...been a really long time since I last danced, so I might not be that good." Misha said.

"Oh I'm sure you'll do well." Lin said. "Remember what you said? Just lets the music tell you what to do next." He made a swaying movement.

"Yeah right." Misha said imitating him. They just swayed around for a while laughing a few times. Suddenly, Misha lost her footing, and fell backwards. Seeing this, Lin grabbed her arm to steady her, but she was too heavy and pulled him down as well.

When they came to, Lin realized that he was lying right on top her, his paws pinning her arms down. But that wasn't the worse part.

The worst part was that their lips had met.

Upon realizing this, he hastily pulled away from her. He didn't know what to say; they had kissed yet again.

"L...Lin..." she said.

"I..." Lin couldn't get the right words out. "Misha I..."

He then noticed that she was looking at something over her shoulder. Lin slowly turned around to see Tigress at the doorway staring with disbelief at what she had just witnessed.


	27. Chapter 27

Hi guys. due to it being my finals week, the next chapter will be delayed by one week, so please bear with me until then.

Thanks.

* * *

><p><em>Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama<em>

CHAPTER 27  
>TIGRESS AND LIN<p>

Tigress didn't want to go to bed yet. Her mind was still buzzing with what just happened after dinner. She was so close; so close to telling Lin her true feelings. If she'd shown bravery sooner (or if they weren't interrupted), maybe everything would've turn out better for them.

Maybe she would've kissed him.

She just had to tell him; she just couldn't take it anymore. She psyched herself up and readied herself to tell him how she truly felt. With new-found courage and determination, she left her room and hurried to find Lin. He heard his voice coming from Misha's room and went there as fast as she could, ready to confess.

She wasn't expecting what she would find.

Lin on top of Misha on the floor, their lips locked.

For a while, she just stood there staring at the scene before her taking it in. It was like there was nothing else left in the world but the three of them. They were just there staring at her probably wondering how she'd react to the sight of them.

She didn't even say anything. The next thing she knew, she was running away from them. Though she could hear Lin calling her name in the distance, she didn't reply nor stop. Her feet moved without her telling them to. She didn't even have any idea to where she was going; she just couldn't stop thinking about what she saw.

How she wished that was her.

He was kissing her; her first friend was kissing his childhood friend, the same girl who shared a terrible past with. They do look good together; some might say that they were the perfect match, a really cute couple that looked great when they were together...but not Tigress.

She could only think of one thing, that Lin would never love her the way she loved him, that she would always be nothing more than a good friend he could count on. Sure being his friend was already something great, but was it wrong to want something more?

Lin had found love in Misha. He had found someone who made him feel what she felt towards him. She should be happy for him because of that.

But why did it hurt so much?

"Tigress!" He had finally caught up with her at the Training Hall courtyard. He grabbed her arm and was able to make her stop. "Tigress please..."

She turned around and faced him showing him the hurt she was trying to hide. "There's nothing for you to explain Lin." she told him.

"Please just hear me out." he pleaded. "What you saw back there wasn't what it looked liked."

Tigress faked a laugh. "Are you certain? It looked very clear to me." She did her best not to do something stupid. She wasn't angry, just really hurt. "Tell me Lin, were her lips was they were when you were cubs?" she asked. "How did it feel Lin?"

Lin was at a loss for words. "I…It…" He shook his head. "That's unimportant now Tigress; there's something you need to know, something I want to tell you."

"Lin please, I'm happy for you." she begged. Lin could tell in her eyes that she was feeling otherwise. "Considering what you and Misha have been through, you deserve to be happy together. I'll be fine…" She pulled herself out of his grip and began to walk.

"Tigress, wait!" he yelled as she turned away from couldn't just let her leave without her knowing the truth. "Tigress I swear, what you saw back there as purely accidental; I don't love Misha that way.

Tigress was still unconvinced. She spoke without facing him. "Why not Lin? Even I can tell that she's perfect for you. She is all you have left in this world."

"She's not the only one I have left." Lin said shaking his head. "I have you don't I? I care about you as well Tigress."

Tigress suddenly whipped around and faced him, her eyes close to tears, an expression that he'd never seen on her. "Yes but who am I Lin?" she asked. "I am someone with no past and no identity; I don't even know what my real name is! Who is she? She's Misha, your best friend, a girl you have a past you spent as close as any two cubs could ever be, a present you enjoy together and a future you could both look forward to!"

"Tigress, please believe me. Although there is some truth to what you've said, that doesn't change what I feel about her; I don't love Misha that way." he pleaded.

She clenched her fists. "Then tell me why." She was unable to look at his face and spoke instead to his feet. "Give me one good reason Lin!"

Silence followed her question. She just knew that he'd be unable to answer. She felt so close to bursting into tears at that moment.

She just had to face the fact that Lin would never love her the way she loved him. Despite the pain she felt in her heart, she just wanted him to be happy. She would be there for him and support his relationship with Misha. She would look at them enjoying every moment of their lives with the other with a smile on her face and an untold feeling she was never able to express…

"She's not you."

Tigress couldn't believed what he had just said. She looked up and saw right there in his dark yellow eyes, the truth.

Lin sighed. "Misha is more than my best friend. I do love her but as a sister. A sister Tigress, and that is all she ever will be to me."

"Yes I do treasure the time we spend together, and yes she has a place in my heart…" He placed a paw on his chest. "But she will never take your place Tigress."

"L…Lin…" she whispered.

He slowly walked towards her. "I can't give you a past Tigress, so instead, I want turn your present into the best moments of you life. I want to make your future into something bright…"

He shook his head. "I should've told you this a from the start…Maybe doing so would've made things better for the both of us…" He took a deep breath.

"…Tigress…I love you…"

…

…

…

"…I love you too Lin…"

There. That wasn't so hard wasn't it?

He was finally close enough to her. Without saying a word, he placed a paw on her cheek and slowly caressed it taking in how truly soft it was. She responded by putting her paw over his and feeling his warmth. Together, they used their free arms around the other and pulled themselves closer to the point that their foreheads met.

"Tigress…" Lin said quietly. "I'm truly sorry for making you feel so bad…Could you…ever forgive me for putting you through so much pain?"

"Lin…I already do…" Tigress replied. "But…there is still one thing I want from you…something I've wanted for quite some time…"

He knew what she meant. Their hearts beating intensely, they closed their eyes. The distance between their faces was reduced with every passing second. Their faces inched closer and closer and closer…

And then finally, softly and ever-so gently, their his lips met hers...

_She pulled away from the shocked and blushing face of a young lynx cub._

Tigress gasped in shock as that image entered her mind. She pulled away from Lin with a stunned expression, something he had noticed. "Tigress?" he asked worriedly. She looked into his eyes.

_She was sitting on a bed looking into those same eyes, but they were on that same lynx cub._

Though Lin tried speaking to her again, she didn't answer. She pulled herself away from hi and once again began running to wherever her feet took her to. More images poured into her mind as she did so.

_She was swaying around with that lynx cub as if she was teaching him how to dance. He suddenly tripped and hit the ground face-first. As she laughed at him, he looked up and smiled a bit before joining the laughter. She helped him up and started teaching him again._

_They were playing tag in a river with the lynx cub being it. She had a good head start, but she was gaining up on her. She turned around and splashed some water at him forcing him to stop and shield himself. He retaliated by splashing some water at her earning laughs from both of them; she truly enjoyed at moment._

And finally...

_She was standing in the middle of the burning village that had been in her dreams. Suddenly, everything became crystal clear. She could see warriors cut down villagers who were running away in terror. She saw them slaughter them even thought they begged for mercy. She looked down; the two blurry shapes before her became clear as well._

_They were two adult tigers, one male, one female, with gaping wounds where there hearts were._

"Tigress!"

_She could hear the yelling again, and she looked up seeing that same lynx cub; apparently, he was the one yelling at her. She still couldn't understand him, but just like everything else, it became clearer. She could hear him perfectly._

"Tigress!"

_No, that wasn't what he was yelling. He was yelling..._

"Tigress!"

Lin had finally caught up with here again just as she left the main door of the Hall of Warriors. He turned her around and shook her a bit. "Tigress?" he asked worriedly. She didn't respond and just stared at him wide-eyed. "Tigress please! What's wrong?" Still no answer. "Tigress, say something...anything!"

After pausing for a while, she finally did.

"Underneath the sun or underneath the moon"

This time, it was Lin that stared wide-eyed with shock. He responded out of habit.

"Whether we both feel joy or both feel gloom."

She continued. They began alternating lines.

"I'll be by your side both in good times and in bad."

"I'll smile when you're happy and weep when you're sad."

"What we have is a bond eternal and true."

"A bond unlike anything else, a bond between me and you."

"As long as you're there and always will be,"

"I can take absolutely anything the world throws at me."

"And I will never give up on you. And I will never."

"Let anything part us for our bond is forever."

Lin couldn't believe what he was hearing. She just stared at him as if she suddenly realized who he was. "L...Lin...?"

He had the same realization. "Misha..."

They put their arms around each other and hugged tightly. As they did, everything came back to Tigress, all those memories, those good times, those wonderful days she spent with Lin. She was lonely for so long and unwanted by everyone not knowing that somewhere, a young boy would give anything to see her again.. Now it no longer mattered. They were together again after so many years.

It was almost like destiny.

After what seemed like a long time, the two of them parted. However, neither of their faces showed shock nor joy, just confusion. Lin asked out loud the question in both of their minds. "But...if you're Misha..."

Both of them turned towards the barracks. Almost on cue, lighting flashed and thunder rumbled.

"Then who's in there?"


	28. Chapter 28

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 28  
>THE TRUTH<p>

"I understand that this is a lot to take in, but I assure you that it's the truth." Lin said after explaining to his masters everything. Both Shifu and Oogway nodded slowly but were still trying to take in everything they just heard.

Shifu turned to Tigress. "Are you sure you know who you truly are?" he asked.

"I...I do master." Tigress replied. "I...I'm Misha, Lin's childhood friend who lost her parents to Geng Wu's army." She held her head. "My memory is slowly returning to me; I remember who my parent were, what my former life was like, all the days I spent with Lin..."

"It's becoming clear to me now." Lin said thinking deeply. "That night when Geng Wu attacked our village, you were struck in the head which seems to have caused your amnesia. The army then left you alone thinking you were dead-"

"I remember." Tigress finished. "I eventually woke up not knowing who or where I was. I was surrounded by dead bodies I didn't recognize and ran away as fast as I could. I wandered alone for days until I collapsed at the doorstep of Bao Gu Orphanage. I became angry and violent due to my loss of memory." She faced Shifu. "You know the rest master."

Shifu nodded but still looked troubled. Oogway decided to ask something. "Er...Tigress...Forgive me, Misha..."

"Just...just Tigress is fine master." Tigress said.

The turtle nodded. "So you are indeed Misha...Hard to imagine that Lin did not recognize you upon his arrival." He turned to the lynx.

"When I first saw her, I did, for a split second, think she was Misha." he explained. "But when we spoke and interacted, I noticed how different she was from her, leading me to believe that she wasn't." He turned to Tigress. "I've been wanting to see you again for years, and yet I failed to recognize you..." He hung his head. "I feel so ashamed..."

"Lin..." She took his paw and held it in hers. "What matters is that we found each other in the end. It's almost like destiny that we met again."

He looked up and smiled. "Destiny huh? I just knew that one day, it would lead me back to you."

Tigress smiled and let go of his paw. Both students turned to their masters. "Now," Lin began. "I believe it's time we discussed the other problem at hand: our little impostor."

"She was able to fool you Lin. She was able to fool all of us into thinking she was me." Tigress said.

Lin did some thinking again. "When I first saw her, I truly did think she was you Tigress. But now that I think about it something seemed odd. Whenever we discussed about the time we spent as cubs, I was the one who initiated the conversation in the first place while she only agreed and laughed about it, never adding information of her own. But I was blinded by the joy of seeing her again, so I never thought about those things. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have let my joy get to my head."

"Indeed. You should have been more focused Lin." Shifu said agreeing with him. "The question now is: what is her intention? Why would she pose as Misha?"

"I don't know the answer to that yet master." Lin replied. "However, I don't believe she's a bad person. She has been helping me get closer to Tigress."

She turned to him surprised. "So all of it, the Jade Blossom dinner, the dinner we just had, they were her idea?"

"They were." Lin nodded. "She did seem eager and willing to help me which leads me to believe that she doesn't have any bad intention. We should interrogate her but not show any sign of aggression. What do you say?"

"If it will answer all of our questions, then I will allow it." Oogway said.

"As am I Lin." Shifu added.

Lin nodded and stood up. He paced around the room for a while thinking of a plan. "I've got it. Master Oogway, we'll need your tea set if it's fine with you."

"It is Lin. What are you planning?" Oogway asked.

Lin approached the doorway. "I'm going to her and invite her to tea. I need you all to act natural while she's with us. I'll see you in a few minutes."

He left hurriedly while Oogway fetched his tea set. "To have thought up a plan so quickly, he would be quite the leader if you ask me." he remarked.

"Oh Lin wouldn't want that master." Tigress said. "He prefers the simpler things in life like all of us." she looked at her two masters. "We're the only family he has left right now; I think he'd be content with just us."

Shifu nodded. Oogway just smiled and began making the tea.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Lin arrived with "Misha". The others were already sipping their tea and acted natural when they arrived. "I think it's going to rain soon, and by the looks of it, it's going to be quite the downpour." he said casually sitting down.<p>

"Thanks for inviting me to tea master Oogway." "Misha" said sitting down and taking a cup.

"It was a pleasure; I wanted you to try a new recipe of mine." Oogay replied. Misha took a sip of tea.

"It's really good master." she remarked.

"Indeed it is Misha." Lin said casually taking a sip as well. "Almost as good as your mother's isn't it?"

Misha took another sip. "Yeah, her teas were great. Man I miss her..." she said looking down. Now that Lin was able to focus, noticed it when the question was asked, a slight pause for a fraction of a second.

Lin made eye contact with Shifu, a signal that told him to go on. "She must have a lot of talent then." He went for the killer. "Tell me...what was her name?"

She literally froze as she raised her cup to take a sip. Her eyes swiveled in Lin's direction, but he was looking at her from the corner of his had seen her freeze at Shifu's question; she had fallen into their trap. She set her cup down. "My mom? Well..." Lin noticed tension on her face. "Her teas were really good, and uh...her name was...uh..."

"Mia."

She turned to Tigress who had spoke. "Her name was Mia, and her husband's name was Shao. They had only one child, a daughter who was named by blending their names together."

The impostor stared at her wide-eyed with shock. Tigress stared right into her eyes. "You're not Misha...I am."

Everyone else set down their cups and stared at her. "Who are you, why have you been pretending to be me this whole time?"

She could practically feel their gaze press on her. She set down her cup and took a deep breath. "OK...Just...just calm down for a sec OK...I swear I'll explain everything so just...just calm down..." she said, and they all did so.

She suddenly stood up bringing the table with her causing Oogway's tea set to fall to the floor. She then pushed the table forward hitting the two stunned masters and pinning then to the wall.

She the turned around and ducked as Tigress's fist went over her head. Tigress tried a kick, but she caught her leg and delivered three powerful blows to her leg near her knee. Tigress dropped on her back, got her other leg under her attacker and kicked her backwards.

Unfortunately, she landed on her feet. Lin charged at her. Before he could reach her, she swung her arm at him and flicked her wrist; an arrow suddenly shot out of her sleeve and almost hit Lin who dodged it in time. With a loud thud, it struck the overturned table. Oogway and Shifu were able to break free; everyone else looked from the arrow to the impostor.

"Th...That arrow...You're the archer that's been trying to kill me?" he asked shocked. "I don't...I don't understand..."

Then she smiled, a wide evil smile which seemed to love how confused he was. She then laughed, a high, cold and cruel laugh none of them have ever heard from her before. "Of course you don't. I fooled you; I fooled all of you!" she taunted before laughing evilly.

"Who are you?" Tigress demanded.

She grinned. "I am Mai Li, ruthless assassin and top spy of Geng Wu." She grinned wider at the look of shock on Lin's face.

"The truth. Now." Shifu demanded.

Mai Li crossed her arms and spoke arrogantly. "I guess you all should know now that my secret's out." she began. "Many months ago, my master became sick and tired of Lin's victories over us. So he hatched together a plan to destroy him once and for all."

"You never should've been so loud during your search. I have spies in every town, city and village in China, and thanks to them, we were able to find out that you were searching for a tiger girl named Misha, apparently your best friend."

Lin remembered the early days of his search for his best friend, all those times when he broke down in front of town officials begging them for any information that would lead him to her. This was his own fault again; he shouldn't have been so loud about it.

"We needed more information though." Mai Li continued. "So we confronted our warriors asking if any of them knew of a tiger girl named Misha. Luckily, two of our oldest warriors had such information. They remembered during one of our attacks, they killed a tiger couple." Tigress's eyes widened at this point. "They also remembered their daughter who attacked them and a lynx cub who was yelling her name."

"My parents' killers...they're still alive?" Tigress asked, her fists shaking.

Mai Li seemed to take pleasure in her reaction. "Yes. But I doubt you'll ever get to have your vengeance on them. With all the information we needed, my master assigned the task to me, his greatest spy."

She continued to smile arrogantly. "If there's anything I'm better at than killing and spying, it's acting. I can fake anything, joy," She put on a smile. "Fury." She suddenly looked murderous. "S...Sorrow..." He face softened, and she actually shed a tear before going back to her arrogant face. "I was perfect for the job."

"So the plan began. I stationed myself in Bùxìng while my master struck a deal with those bandits. They were to attack the village several times until a hooded person with superb reflexes showed up, knowing that he'd also show up to take on regular bandits."

"As soon as you showed up, the bandit leader knew what to do. He pretended to take me as a hostage and allowed me to be rescued. I played my part, pretended to be happy to see you, and you fell right for it!" she gloated. "It was so fun to watch! The sight of you practically crying out tears of joy, not knowing that I was planning on killing you, how I love things like that!" she said hungrily.

"So...you've been trying to kill me since you got here?" Lin asked. "Before the Jade Blossom incident, I don't remember-"

"My first night here when I woke up crying?" Mai Li interrupted. "While you were hugging me, I was holding a knife at your back. If she," She grumpily jerked her head in Tigress's direction. "Hadn't shown up, I would've done it. That time when you saw me outside your tent, I was planning to sneak in and kill you in your sleep."

Lin couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"And I wasn't really kidnapped." Mai Li said. "Those bandits were actually a small portion of the spies we have here in the Valley of Peace. I was able to contact them and made a plan to get you killed. When they failed, I took matters into my own hands."

"I...I still don't understand..." Lin said trying to comprehend all of this. "You were trying to help me with Tigress!"

"Also a part of my plan; it was a big mistake telling that to me." Mai Li replied. "I knew that if I could create intimate moments between you and Tigress, you'd focus on her and lower your guard giving me an opportunity to kill you."

"So you were behind the events at the Jade Blossom?"

"Of course." Mai Li replied. "The bow I was carrying was to mislead you. After I missed my chance, I ran into the restaurant, killed the waiter who just happened to be there, stuffed my cloak and bow in one of those jars, and injured myself to throw off any suspicion. I played helpless and innocent, and you all fell for it!" She laughed. "You didn't even notice me when I snuck out of the palace to get my cloak back!"

"Just a while ago, I was planning on shoving you both down the cliff if you didn't notice me. And I was so close too." she added frustratingly.

Everyone couldn't help but admit that they were fooled by her and that her master's plan was well thought out. "I bet you didn't count on me, the real Misha, showing up didn't you?" Tigress asked.

"No; you've just ruined everything." Mai Li put on a sour face before turning it into an evil smile. "Oh well, now that my secret's out, I don't think I should be staying. My mission wasn't a total loss; I think my master will be pleased knowing Lin's current whereabouts."

"W-Wait!" Lin shouted before he could leave. There was something he had wanted to ask her. "Just tell me this please...All the time we spent together...those days when I really thought you were my best friend...didn't they mean anything to you?"

Mai Li looked at him and smiled maliciously. "Not a single bit. You're a fool Lin. My master and I would be happy to watch you die. In fact, i hope I get front row seats!"

She gave one last evil laugh before running out of the room swinging a long travelling cloak on her as she did. "Stop her!" Shifu ordered. Tigress was about to do so, but she saw Lin looked troubled.

"Lin?" she asked. He was still trying to get take in what he heard. Tigress noticed just how hurt he looked. "Lin, look at me." She held his face and turned it towards her. "I don't know what you're going through right now, but you have to know this: we can't let her get back to Geng Wu."

Lin was able to regain his focus and snapped out of his trance. "Y...You're right Tigress. She needs to be stopped." he said with determination. Tigress and nodded and followed Mai Li along with Lin. The chase was on.


	29. Chapter 29

_doorcf:_  
><em>wow tigress is really jealous<em>  
><em>a cat fight is coming<em>  
><em>can't wait for the next chapter<em>

Well, here's that cat fight you expected.

* * *

><p><em>Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama<em>

CHAPTER 29  
>THE THREAD OF HOPE<p>

It began to rain strongly, just as Lin said. However, he and Tigress weren't concentrating of the weather. They were still busy chasing Mai Li, her cloak billowing in the wind.

They had long left the Valley of Peace; they chased Mai Li through the night without rest. The rain only became stronger with each passing moment. None of them showed any sign of slowing down.

"She's heading for the Thread of Hope!" Tigress realized, running on all fours.

"If she reaches the other side first, she can cut the bridge; we can't let that happen!" Lin replied, the rain almost drowning out his voice. Tigress was still able to hear him and put on an extra burst of speed.

Mai Li turned around and flicked her wrist at them sending out another arrow which they dodged. She grumbled, looked ahead and smiled. The Thread of Hope was right before her, and she had the same idea as Lin and Tigress had.

After firing another arrow, she ran across the bridge. She was already a quarter of the way through when her pursuers arrived. The hanging bridge intimidated them slightly. The bottom, called the Devil's Mouth, was covered in fog, but they were sure that one slip would be the death of them; the rain on the bridge only made things worse. Nevertheless, they continued on unafraid.

"Tigress!" Lin turned around and locked his paws together creating a foothold. She understood and jumped on him allowing him to propel her upwards. Tigress soared through the air, over Mai Li and landed safely on the other side. She stood her ground forcing Mai Li to stop.

"Nowhere to go Mai Li!" she shouted taking a fighting stance.

Mai Li pouted and flexed her wrists. Two daggers with half-foot long blades slid out of her sleeves and into her paws. She held them up backwards and looked from Lin to Tigress. "Actually, there is...Through you!"

She ran towards Tigress who stood her ground; Lin followed to provide back-up. Mai Li slashed twice with her daggers, but Tigress was able to evade them. Her own punch however was deflected by her opponent who was able to deliver two quick blows on her arms.

Tigress then attempted a leg sweep, but Mai Li jumped back and performed several back flips to get away. Lin was able to catch up with her and delivered a punch. Mai Li's back flip at that moment was more vertical, so Lin went right past her. As he did she was able kick his back, knocking him on his stomach. She landed and laughed at his situation.

Lin stood up and charged at her. Mai Li blocked several of his blows, before slashing with her daggers. Lin jumped back; Tigress passed under him and aimed a punch which Mai Li ducked before slashing again giving Tigress a cut on each of her legs. Mai Li then jumped and kicked her making her crash into Tigress. They skidded across the slippery bridge before coming to a halt.

"Good thing I watched you guys train." Mai Li said. Both the student grumbled before helping each other up. Mai Li then charged and jumped, hitting their shoulders in the process. She ended up behind them and raced for the other side of the bridge.

Lin and Tigress were hot on her heels. This time, Tigress vaulted Lin over Mai Li causing her to stop again. This time, both of the charged. At the last second, Mai Li dropped down and did a perfect split placing a leg between Tigress's and Lin's. She simply swung them around, knocking them down.

"To hell with the bridge; I'll kill you right now!" Mai Li leaped at the downed Lin, ready to stab his lungs. Lin caught he wrists when they were just a few inches away. He got his feet under her and kicked her back.

"Tigress!" he yelled. She immediately responded by delivering a kick to Mai Li's back before the latter could recover. Lin then delivered three quick punches to her chest followed by a spinning backhand which knocked her down. The bridge swayed a bit upon impact, but it wasn't that bad.

What was bad was that Mai Li quickly got up and charged at Lin. She deflected his punch and struck his arm several times in different places. Tigress charged, so Mai Li kicked in her direction sending an arrow flying out one of the legs of her pants; apparently, the arrow-firing mechanism was also there.

Tigress deflected the arrow, but Mai Li spun and threw Lin at her. With the two of them distracted, she bolted for the end of the bridge. The two students eventually recovered and followed her, making her fire a few more arrows to slow them down. That didn't work; Lin vaulted Tigress over Mai Li. When the latter saw this, she jumped and did a back flip to try to kick the air-borne Tigress.

Tigress saw this and shielded herself, softening the blow. Mai Li landed and dodged a few blows from Lin. Tigress landed and attacked as well hoping that they would overpower her. Though she did have difficulty dodging the blows of her opponents, Mai Li was able to do so along with striking and slashing their arms and legs. The two students realized her strategy; soon enough, their own arms and legs were tiring from the repetitive blows and cuts.

When Tigress punched, Mai Li leaned backwards, her back arching in a way that would hurt anyone. After Tigress's blow missed, Mai Li placed her paws on the bridge while maintaining her arched back. She clamped her feet over Tigress's head and pushed off bringing Tigress with her. She made her crash into Lin before getting up and running for the end of the bridge again.

She was now getting closer and closer to the other side; they had to do something before she cuts the bridge and sends them to their deaths. They got up and charged; Tigress vaulted Lin over. Mai Li saw this coming and fired an arrow while he was in the air. He deflected it and landed in front of her.

"This has gone far enough Mai Li." he told her assuming his stance. She responded by lunging at him while slashing with her daggers several times. Lin blocked several of her strikes and managed to hit her a few times. Tigress caught up with them and tried overwhelming her again.

Mai Li distanced herself from Lin to assault Tigress. She blocked the student's blow before striking her arms and ducking cutting both her thighs. Lin ran in to help but ended up receiving blows and cuts to his arms and legs. Their wounds they both received only hurt more with running water being poured on them.

Mai Li jumped and kicked both of them at the same time before running to the other side. As she passed by Lin, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her down. The force of the impact caused her daggers to slide away though they remained on the bridge. She then flipped over, and smashed her heel into Lin's arm several times until he finally let go.

She sprung for her daggers, but Tigress was able to tackle her first. This resulted in the daggers dropping into the Devil's Mouth, never to be seen again. Mai Li, who was being pinned down by Tigress, saw this and immediately brought out her claws. Tigress jumped back to avoid a swipe to her face.

The tiger girls slowly got up. Tigress eyed Mai Li's claws with disgust; she'd always considered using them in a fight as dishonorable. Then again, her opponent didn't have a shred of it. Mai Li lunged while swiping with her claws. Tigress blocked her arm, but before she could counter, Mai Li dug her claws into her arm making her cry out in pain.

Lin jumped over them and rushed in to help. Mai Li, still latched on to Tigress, kicked to block Lin's initial kick. She swiped at him with her free paw, but he deflected it and countered with a leg sweep followed by a somersault which struck her chin and knocked her upwards.

Mai Li recovered in mid-air and fired arrows at the both of them. Keeping track, she realized that those were her last ones; better to not let them know that. Tigress and Lin backed up to avoid them. Mai Li landed and sprung at Lin who deflected her initial swipe and countered with an elbow strike followed by a backhand.

She staggered back and saw Tigress charge. Wanting to end things soon, she jumped over the bridge much to Tigress and Lin's disbelief. Before she could plummet into the misty abyss, she grabbed one of the ropes connecting the planks of the bridge.

Her weight caused the entire bridge to tilt sideways, making the students lose their balance. Lin was able to grab one of the vines to stop him from falling. Dangling in the air, he saw Mai Li make her way to the other side. He heard sound of a struggle from behind him and turned around.

While he caught one of the vines, Tigress's left ankle got caught up in one of the vines. She desperately tried to pull herself up, but her foot was starting to slip. "Hang on Tigress!" Lin yelled as he made his way to her.

She waved her arm, gesturing that he go away. "I'll be fine. Get Mai Li!" Panicked, Lin turned from her to Mai Li who was starting to get far away from them. Lin quickly made his way towards her; Mai Li saw this and hurried up. Meanwhile, Tigress continued struggling to pull herself up so she could help out.

But she was staring to slip out of the vine. Lin, who turned around to check on her, saw this and hurried to her side. Tigress saw this and opened her mouth to say something, but her foot suddenly slipped out of the rope, and she began to fall.

She suddenly stopped falling. She looked up and saw Lin straining himself as he held her ankle and the rope at the same time. "There's no way...in hell...that I'm losing you again." he told her through gritted teeth.

Though his arm ached from the blows and cuts he received from Mai Li, she began to swing Tigress back and forth slowly gaining momentum. With a loud cry, he swung her onto the rope on the other side of the bridge. tigress grabbed on, her weight leveling the bridge.

Lin climbed up. "When you see her climb up, do the same." he told her before running towards Mai Li. The latter saw this and swung herself onto the bridge; Tigress did the same to prevent the bridge from tilting again. Mai Li waited for Lin to approach before throwing a punch at him. He slid between her legs and began his assault.

"It's over Mai Li; stop fighting." Lin said as their fight inched away from the end of the bridge.

Mai Li blocked his first two punches. "I'll never stop!" she yelled as she swiped at him. Lin blocked it with his left arm before hitting her with a spinning backhand. This knocked her back several feet which gave Lin an opportunity to try out a move he's been practicing.

He lunged at the staggered Mai Li. "Swirling Lynx Roundhouse Kick!" he muttered jumping and sipping parallel to the bridge. He struck Mai Li with both of his feet knocked her towards Tigress. "Tigress!" She understood what he meant and kicked Mai Li's back, sending her flying towards Lin.

Lin traced the floor with his right foot to gather momentum before giving her another solid kick. Mai Li finally recovered and blindly attacked Tigress who managed to block her strikes before dropping down and delivering an upwards blow to her stomach. Mai Li ended up knocked straight into the air.

"Lin!" Tigress shouted jumping back to give herself some room. She drew her paws back.

"Right!" Lin yelled doing the same thing. Mai Li then began to fall, and when she was right between them, they charged with a loud cry.

Tigress slammed her paws into her chest. At the exact same time, Lin did the same with the back of his paws to her back. The resulting impact produced a small shock wave that echoed across the mountains. With the attack over, Tigress and Lin backed up. They silently watched as Mai Li's body fall onto the bridge; for a while, the only sound that was heard was the rain.

"Did we win...?" Tigress asked. The pain from all her injuries forced her to her knees. Lin, despite feeling the same thing, went to her side and helped her up.

"Thank you..." They both turned to Mai Li. "What do we do with her?" Tigress asked.

"Well...I think we should-" Before Lin could finish, Mai Li suddenly sprung up and began swiping at him with her claws relentlessly. Lin managed to deflect her swipes, but she kept attacking. Tigress joined the fight and struck Mai Li a few times. Mai Li managed to punch her in the chest knocking her back a bit. She moved in to kick her but her foot slipped. When she hit the bridge, she slid towards the edge until her legs dangled in mid-air. Lin and Tigress watched her dig her claws into the wooden planks, but eventually they gave way, and she began to fall.

She readied herself for it, but she suddenly stopped. Looking up, she saw Lin grabbing her by her wrist, his arm straining against her weight. "H...Hang on Mai Li..." Lin said through gritted teeth. "Tigress...try to pull her up..."

Tigress looked at him puzzled but eventually obeyed. She leaned over the edge and offered her paw to Mai Li. "Give me your paw."

Mai Li looked from her to Lin. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" she shouted.

"Saving you... what else...?" Lin asked. Her paws slipped a bit, but he did slacken his grip.

"I'm your enemy you damn idiot!" Mai Li yelled at Lin. "I could seriously pull you down with me!"

Lin arm began to scream in pain. "I know...but I still want to save you!" he yelled.

Mai Li just looked at him straining himself, trying to keep her alive. "You're a fool Lin; even after all I've done, you still want to save me!" she taunted.

"Yes! Yes I do!" Lin shouted back. The scowl on Mai Li's face vanished. "You may have lied, you may have tried to kill me, you may have attempted to tell your master where I am...but that won't change one thing..."

"I...I enjoyed our time together." Lin admitted looking in her eyes. "When I first found you and thought you really were Misha, I was so happy. All those times we spent together, laughing about the things I did in the past, just spending time with each other like what friends do...Those were good memories to me, and I have only you to thank for them."

Mai Li just listened in silence as he continued. "That's why...I want to save you." Her paws slipped a bit more; he was seriously afraid that she would fall. "Look, you'll have to face justice for the crimes you've committed, but things can still work out among the three of us; we could still be friends. Please...let me save you...Mai Li..."

The latter didn't say anything and just looked down into the Devil's Mouth. Then, she suddenly started laughing, as if she'd heard an incredibly funny joke, puzzling Tigress and Lin. Her paws slipped again a bit.

Mai Li eventually stopped laughing and spoke. "You're...you're...tch..." Her paw slipped a bit more again. "I did lie about a lot of things...but if there was anything that was true...then it's how I felt during our time together. "

"Even when I wasn't busy plotting how to kill you, I was still thinking about you. You were so nice and kind to me...that I couldn't help but grow attached to you. Several things about me weren't real...but those, our bond, the things you made me feel...I swear, they were as real to me as your love for Misha. It was so conflicting, deciding between my mission and what I felt for you. That kiss we had..." She put her fingers on her lips. "I couldn't fake what my heart felt at that moment...Heh, my master would kill me on the spot if he found out about all this..."

Lin stared at her in disbelief. Mai Li shook her head. "I'll be honest with you; I think you're far too nice for your own good; someone like you wouldn't stand a chance against my master...but I guess you deserve at least that...a chance..."

"Wh...What-" Lin began, but she slipped again. Now he was just holding her by her fingers. He desperately tried to pull her up, but didn't have the strength.

Mai Li then spoke again. "Hidden inside the Heng Mountain in the north, beyond a secret passageway into the heart of the mountain, lies my master's secret base. Right now, he's there bidding his time, waiting for me to complete my mission. If you can make it there, you can fight him and beat him, put an end to his terror once and for all."

Lin couldn't believe this; she just betrayed her master. She was giving him a chance to stop Geng Wu. "W-Wait, why are you telling me all of this?"

Mai Li sighed. "I don't know...maybe..."

She looked up at him into his eyes. Lin could see, among the drops of rain, tears on her face. "Maybe there was a part of me...the Misha part...that fell in love with you..." she said with a smile.

Before Lin could respond, Mai Li's paw slipped once more. "No...No...Don't..."

"Good-bye Lin..."

"NO!"

She just suddenly slipped through his grip. Lin arm was still stretched towards her as she plummeted into the Devil's Mouth. After a while, he was enveloped by the fog and was never seen again.

Lin continued to stare at where she was in shock of what just happened. He felt a paw on his should and turned towards Tigress who looked him with a similar amount of sorrow on her face. Shaken by the whole ordeal, Lin hugged her tightly while tears began to pour. For a long time, they just sat there in each other's embrace as the rain continued to pour.


	30. Chapter 30

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 30  
>DEPARTURE<p>

It took Lin several minutes to completely clear out his room; he wasn't in a hurry, but the sooner he left, the better. His mat had been rolled up and stowed away along with his pillow. After that, he proceeded to clear the room of any other signs that he was there. All that he had left was his cloak, which he wore, and some extra clothes and supplies packed away in a leather bag. He made sure that there was no sign that he had ever set foot in there.

He slung it over his shoulder and looked around the room. He sighed; this wasn't good-bye; his journey might take a while, but he was certain that he'd be back in no time. He patted the door frame one last time before sliding his room shut.

The rain had weakened and became more gentle shortly before they arrived back at the palace. After telling his masters everything and after drying himself up, Lin wasted no time in packing his things; he'd be gone for a long time, so he needed to be ready for anything.

He had just three stops before he left. On his way to his first stop, he thought about Mai Li who gave him valuable information about Geng Wu. But all he could think of was her plummeting into the abyss with tears on her face and his arm still outstretched, holding nothing but empty air.

She said she loved him...

He shook his head. Though he didn't return her feelings, that didn't change the fact that she gave Lin happy memories. Things might've worked out among them, and they would've been friends if he'd saved her. Now, she's gone after using the little time she had left to tell him Geng Wu's whereabouts.

Along the way, he passed by a mirror. He stopped for a while and gazed at his reflection. He seemed to look older, more mature than he was when he first entered the palace. He also noticed that he had his serious look on; he had a feeling that his regular mood would take some time to back a comeback. With a sigh, he turned away from the mirror.

Lin continued on motivated by Mai Li's willingness to help him. Eventually, he reached his first stop, one of his master's rooms. He gently knocked. "Master Oogway?"

"Come in." said the master from within his room. Lin slid the door open, and found his master sitting in a chair before him. He bowed respectfully.

"Already packed aren't you?" Oogway asked.

"I am master." Lin replied. "You're the first of my three stops. Right after that, I'm leaving."

Oogway nodded. For quite some time, the master and student just stared at each other. "So you've made up your mind?" Oogway finally asked.

Lin nodded. "I have master, and nothing will change my decision. Mai Li betrayed her master for me; this is the least I could do for her."

Oogway considered what he said. "So you are indeed leaving to stop Geng Wu...Are you sure about this Lin?"

"I am master. I don't think I'll get another opportunity like this, so I better take advantage of it before I miss it. I believe it's time I went and fulfilled my destiny."

"Destiny..." Oogway did some thinking. "If this is what you believe in, then I will respect that. However, destiny is something no one is entirely sure about. But I am certain that if you believe in it, then you will make it happen."

Lin smiled and bowed. "Thank you master for everything. I swear I won't let you down; I'll make you proud."

"Lin...You already have." Oogway said smiling at him. Lin returned it and left his room.

Once outside, he leaned against the door and closed his eyes. He would truly miss his master and his wisdom while he was gone. He sighed and left to make his second stop: Shifu's room.

Like with Oogway, he knocked first before entering. After being acknowledged, he entered and bowed. "Good evening Master Shifu." Lin said bowing.

The latter surveyed him from head to toe. "I see that you've made up your mind Lin. I trust nothing will change it?" he asked.

"Nothing master. I've accepted what I must do." Lin said. "I will go out and defeat Geng Wu, ending his reign of terror once and for all."

"You are still a student." Shifu stroked his beard. "Are you certain you are up to the task?"

Lin managed a smile. "Your my master aren't you? Wouldn't you, of all people, know whether I'am up to it? So, what do you think master; do you believe in me?"

"I do Lin. I sense a great amount of potential within you. You can stop Geng Wu and possibly...become the Dragon Warrior."

Lin sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry master, but I don't think that's not what fate has in store for me. I prefer a simple life honestly, but I'm flattered by your suggestion."

"Very well; I will respect that; however, you will always remain as one of my best students Lin." Shifu actually smiled at him, something he hadn't seen in a while.

Lin returned it before speaking again. "Master, there's just one more thing. It's more of a request actually..."

Shifu could sense tension in his voice. He said nothing and allowed him to continue. "Master, I've come to accept the possibility that I may not return alive from this quest."

"Doubting yourself?" Shifu asked.

"No master; I have no doubts within myself nor with you. You trained me well. But whether I doubt myself or not, that possibility will remain."

"I see...so what is this request Lin?" Shifu asked. Lin sighed.

"It's about Tigress master..." Lin began. "If I were to die...she'd be devastated and once feel the pain of loss; she'd lose me because of the same person again just like all those years ago. She'll be all alone in this world...all alone except for you..."

He sighed. "I'm asking this not as a student but as someone who loves your daughter dearly." Shifu was slightly taken aback; sometimes, he just forgot that Tigress was also his daughter, that he was her father, the only one she had left. "If I need just one reassuring thought during my journey, then it would be the thought of her being in good hands if I never came back. All I want is for you to be there for her when she needs you the most; I need you to be a father to her. That's all I ask."

Shifu looked at his student taking in his simple request. Lin stared back at him dead-serious about everything he said. For a while, there was silence between them. "Very well Lin. I will do what I must do."

Lin felt incredibly relieved. "Thank you master."

"However," Shifu said sternly. "I still expect you to return alive and well after your journey; I would hate to lose one of my best students to some cold-blooded warlord."

Lin could sense kind words behind his stern way of speaking. It reminded him of that there was a soft side of Shifu hidden deep under all that strictness. Make that really really deep. He smiled. "Then I won't let you down then master. Another thing. You know how i want things master; I was never here. If I were to die, then at least the Valley of Peace would be safe for a longer period of time."

"I understand." Shifu said simply. Obviously, the others knew the same thing.

Lin bowed. "Thank you for everything master, the training, your guidance..." He hesitated a bit. "Truth be told master, I've found a fatherly figure within you."

Shifu was surprised by that last bit; maybe trying to be a parent for once wouldn't be so hard. Lin turn to leave; one stop left.

Shifu already knew where, but something puzzled him. "Wait," Lin stopped. "Are you not going to say good-bye to Tigress?"

"I am master." Lin replied.

"But the barracks are the other way."

Lin actually laughed a bit. He chuckled for a few seconds before calming down. "Believe me master, knowing Tigress, she won't be at the barracks."

"No Tigress." he said when he saw her. Tigress was right where he thought she would be, outside the main doors with a bag full of supplies slung over her shoulder and a look of determination on her face. He shook his head as he walked towards her. He traced the strap of her bag before holding her paw. "Tigress..."

She shook her head at him. Just by looking in her eyes, Lin could tell that it would take a lot of convincing to change her mind. It was worth a shot anyway. "Listen..."

"I want this Lin." Tigress insisted gripping his paw tightly. "I want to go and fight with you. I can't just sit here while you go off-"

"Tigress please." Lin said sincerely. She was eager to help out when the sutiation called for it; that was just her. "This is my fight, and I don't want to drag you into it. This is just something I need to do on my own; I'll be fine."

She still wasn't convinced. "Fine? We both know what Geng Wu is capable of Lin. Even if he is waiting in his base, there's no doubt he'd be heavily guarded. I want to help you Lin."

"You could help me by staying out of harm's way." he said. Tigress turned away, but Lin gently held her cheek and turned her towards him. "Look, I'm not calling you weak or anything; I of all people know just how hard you train. In fact, I think you can waltz right into his base and take out every single member of his guard without even lifting a finger."

Tigress managed to laugh a little despite the tension; it died quickly however. "But Geng Wu is my enemy, my nemesis. I have to face him alone."

"But I want to protect you Lin. Didn't we promise each other that we would become stronger so nothing would happen to us?" Tigress reminded. "This is me keeping that promise."

"And this is how I keep it." Lin responded. "Stay here Tigress please. I don't want to lose you again; I thought I did once, and it hurt me more than anything I've ever felt before. If I really did lose you for good..." He couldn't even finish that thought."

"Well, I don't to lose you again either Lin." She griped his shoulders. "That loneliness you felt? I felt it too even though I didn't remember you. For both of us, I have to go with you."

"No Tigress-"

But he was cut off. "You need me Lin, and I need you."

"I know that but-"

"Together, the two of us can easily bring Geng Wu down."

"Maybe so but-"

"I want to end him too Lin. Not just for me, but for the rest of China."

"That's good but-"

"He needs to be stopped, and I will help you even if it means-"

"Misha."

Tigress froze upon being called by her real name. Lin sighed and paused for a while. "I'm sorry, but this is my destiny; not yours. Our destinies lead to different roads; mine leads to Geng Wu, to stopping him for good while yours lead to you fulfilling your dream of becoming the Dragon Warrior. That's your destiny"

"But...But I..." Tigress knew and understood Lin's strong belief in destiny. "Lin..."

He placed his paws on he shoulders. "I don't want to get in the way of your destiny Tigress. Our destinies are roads and paths we must walk on our own. But though the paths begin as separate ones, they will eventually converge; you and I will walk this path on our own, but we will come across each other again. They are different but will eventually intertwine. We will meet again when we're finished with our paths."

He held her face and stared into her eyes trying to make her understand. "Is this truly what you want Lin?" Tigress asked.

Lin sighed. "Yes Tigress." He looked over his shoulder towards the stormy night. "Destiny is calling me, and I have to answer it. It's a call only I can take; I have to go and fulfill it on my own."

Silence ensued after he last spoke. Lin wondered if she was still going to say something. After a few moments of silence, Tigress sighed. Slowly, she slid her bag off her shoulder making it thud as it hit the floor.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked. He sighed.

"I wish I could be certain. It's a big mountain; just getting there should take me a few weeks, but searching for it is another story. "It could take months just to find that secret passageway into the heart of the mountain." Lin replied.

Tigress looked down and held his paws again. "I'm going to miss you a lot Lin...Your humor really helps me cope with whatever training Master Shifu throws at me."

Lin laughed a bit. "I'll miss you too Tigress so much. I doubt there will be a day I won't be thinking of you, a night I would spend not wishing you were by my side." He looked hurt for a while before recovering. "But this is only temporary."

"When our destinies have been fulfilled, we will see each other again. I promise." Tigress said.

Lin smiled and decided that it was time to say bye for now. "I think it's about time I did this."

Slowly, he took a step away from her. He raised his paws to his neck and carefully pulled out his LinkStar. After twisting it a little, it separated into two halves , one with a ruby and one with a sapphire. He placed the sapphire one around his own neck before taking Tigress's paw and placing the ruby half into it. He closed her fingers over it and looked into her eyes.

"What we have is a bond eternal and true." he said. "A bond unlike anything else, a bond between me and you."

Tigress withdrew her paw and gazed at her half of the LinkStar. She looked up at Lin. "As long as you're there and always will be, I can take absolutely anything the world throws at me. And I will never give up on you. And I will never let anything part us for our bond is forever."

Clutching her LinkStar tightly, she ran up to Lin and threw her arms around him. He hugged her tightly wishing more than anything to never let go, but he had to; his destiny called him.

"I love you..." Tigress whispered into his ear while gripping him tightly. "I'll make you proud Lin; I swear. I'll fulfill my destiny."

Lin parted from her and held her face. "I love you Tigress. I promise you that I'll be back as soon as I can. My journey is coming to an end, and when it does, I'll see you again and start a new journey, a journey we can take together, a journey called life."

Lin slowly moved in and kissed her. He delayed it for several moments once again wishing that he would never have to leave; his heart wanted him to savor this feeling for as long as he wanted, possibly forever, but his duty said otherwise.

So, despite the calling of his heart, Lin parted from her. He sighed before turning around and walking into the rain, down the steps away from her. After a few steps, he stopped and looked over his shoulder and gave her a smile.

Tigress saw this and returned it. She knew that this wasn't the last time she'd see his smile; when he returned, there would be more smiles all around. Slowly, she placed her LinkStar around her neck and tucked it under her vest, close to her heart.

After a few moments of eye contact, Lin put his hood up and began to walk away. Tigress, who would eagerly wait for when he'd return, turned and headed for the barracks. She laid down in her room and cradled her LinkStar in her paws. She gave it a kiss and tucked it back in before falling asleep.

She was already dreaming of the day they'd meet again.


	31. Chapter 31

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 31  
>JOURNEY'S END<p>

Lin woke up after taking a little power nap. He had been taking a lot of those since he arrived in the Heng Mountain. He was napping with his back against a tree near the mountain. He scratched his eye and stood up before stretching a little.

It took him a week, but he finally reached the Heng Mountain. He would've arrived sooner if he hadn't stopped by every village along the way to stock up on supplies. But eventually, he arrived at the mountain which would be beautiful if it wasn't holding China's most dangerous warlord in it.

It was the middle of the night when he woke up. This was his fourth night searching the mountain. He paused for a while thinking about how long it has been since leaving the palace; he missed Tigress so much. He took out his LinkStar and stared at it for a few moments before tucking back under his shirt and beginning his search, leaving his supplies somewhere he could find them if he needed them.

The past three nights yielded no success for him. Then again, he had yet to search the entire mountain, so there was still hope. He left the small patch of trees along the outer rim of the mountain and began scaling it looking for clues or a hidden passageway.

It was a good thing that the moon was out to give him some light. It also would've been easier if he had a clue or something, if Mai Li had given him more information, but he had to work with what he had. In other words, nothing; no clue, not even a tiny hint.

Out of frustration of the fact that Geng Wu was so close but he couldn't get to him, Lin kicked a nearby rock which only hurt his foot. Grunting a bit from the pain, he picked up another rock and threw it up at the mountain. He closed his eyes thinking of what to do next, when he heard a dull thud.

He opened his eyes at the sound and looked up. Something was hit by the rock, something that sounded like it was made of wood. Quickly, he threw more rocks up the mountain. The sixth one he threw hit it again, and he scrambled up the slope to where it hit.

He found the spot and looked around carefully. Underneath a large boulder, he found portion of something made of wood. He heaved the boulder away and found a wooden door built into the side of the mountain under it. His heart racing, he dug his fingers under it and pulled up.

It swung on a hinge as it opened revealing a dark tunnel leading into the mountain. He looked around to check if there was anyone around before entering it. It was long and was only big enough for one person. Taking a deep breath, he began walking quietly.

It was pitch black, but midway, he saw someone carrying a torch heading his way. He panicked for a second before pressing his back against the wall. The one approaching him was a leopard; when he was near Lin, the latter lunged and muffled his mouth. The two struggled for a bit until Lin, who didn't want to waste his energy in a fight, knocked him out in one blow.

As the leopard slumped over unconscious, Lin quickly extinguished his torch. He had no other place to hide the body, so he just threw it back into the darkness behind him. He quickly pressed forward; if anyone saw that body, he'd be found out in a second.

Eventually, he saw a dim light at the end. He quickly made his way over. He gasped at what he saw. Right in the heart of the mountain was a large wooden fortress painted red and black. Several fires were built around it illuminating hundred of warriors patrolling around the fortress.

Lin backed up a bit and analyzed the situation. The fortress had seven floors and a heavily guarded entrance. Each of its seven floors had a balcony occupied by five archers who kept their eyes on the surrounding area.

He looked around for anything that could help and found a nearby tent. He ducked a bit as a patrol group passed him before sprinting towards the tent.

He peered through the back entrance. The tent seemed to be an armory filled with different weapons and armor. Knowing that Geng Wu and his army knew his face, he grabbed a nearby helmet which would cover most of his face and put it on. Knowing his cloak to be useless, he hid it behind the tent and left.

Nervous, he looked from side to side. No one seemed to find him suspicious, so he casually made his way to the entrance. When he was within 10 feet of it, he had six spears and five arrows were pointed at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" one of the guards, a boar, asked him.

"I er...Master moved me to patrolling the interior of the fortress." Lin lied trying to mask his nervousness. The guards eyed him suspiciously.

"Master didn't tell us about a new patrol man." another guard said.

"Well master told me. But go head; tell master that you were getting in the way of his orders. I'm sure he'd be happy to hear you out." Lin challenged.

The guards looked at each other nervously until the boar raised his fist. The other guards lowered their weapons, but they continued to eye him suspiciously. Ignoring their stares, Lin walked through the open gate and entered the fortress.

The interior of the fortress was also painted red and black and was illuminated by a few candles. But what really got to Lin was the smell. The moment he stepped inside, he smelled something foul and put his shirt up to his nose to try to block the scent. He continued on wondering how Geng Wu could handle such a stench.

"What the hell is that stench?" he complained silently.

He had a feeling that Geng Wu's chamber would be at the top floor, so he started looking for the stairs. As he walked down a corridor, two rhino guards with cloth over their noses showed up and saw him. "Hey, you the new guy?" one of them asked.

Lin stopped in his tracks. "What? Er...yes. Yes I am."

"Good. Get down to the kitchen; those dishes won't clean themselves." Lin blinked in surprise before snapping out of it.

"Right then...Where would the kitchen be?" The guards raised their eyebrows. "It's the stench; it's messing up my thinking." he quickly added wafting the air. The guards thought nothing of it and escorted him to the kitchen.

Lin stared stunned as he was led through a large dining hall filled with several round tables. He was steered away from the hall and entered a back room where several other workers were washing dishes, pot and bowls. The guards took him to a station with a basin of water and set him to work with a pile of dishes.

With a sigh, he got started on the dishes. Though he was slightly annoyed by this, he realized that he could use his situation to gain some information. There was another dishwasher, a goat, next to him, so he tried striking a conversation.

"Damn these are a lot of plates." he said to him.

"Shut up and don't bother me." the goat said grumpy. "Yeah, these are a lot, so don't distract me."

Lin nodded and washed a few more dishes. He tried again. "So...seen the master lately?"

"Hmph, not since I got here." the goat replied. "He's always up there in his room never going down even for mealtimes. But..."

Lin raised an eyebrow, eager for information. "But what?"

"Well..." The goat paused nervously. "Two days ago, I was patrolling the top floor, the one where master was in, and I decided to peek into master's room and..." He shuddered nervously.

"What happened?" Lin asked.

He looked around to check if someone was eavesdropping. "I slid open his door a bit and looked in and then...He was just there sitting in his throne glaring right at me. I closed my eyes and closed the door before...y'know..."

He didn't continue and went back to the dishes, leaving Lin to think about what he said. Geng Wu was just sitting there in his room probably waiting for Mai Li to show up with the news that she had killed him. He was going to get the surprise of his life when he showed up; Lin couldn't help but grin at that thought.

His grin turned into a look of shock as a loud gong suddenly sounded causing all the other washers to stop. After a few more rings, a guard ran into the room. "Drop everything right now!" he shouted. "We found an unconscious guard in the tunnel; there's an intruder!"

Lin freaked out a bit, but realized that he could use the confusion to hide his ascent of the fortress towards Geng Wu's chambers. Knowing Geng Wu, he wouldn't run off if there was an intruder; he would stand and fight until this intruder was dead.

Before he could however, the goat grabbed his shoulder and turned him towards him. "Did you see anything on your way here?"

"What? Er...No..." Lin said nervously. The goat glared at him, into his eyes.

"You seen real familiar. Take your helmet off." he said.

So much for his initial plan. Time for Plan B.

Lin paused for a while before putting his paws on his helmet. He paused for a few more seconds before quickly ripping his helmet off and bashing against the goat's head, knocking him out cold. Another guard rushed at him; Lin dodged his blow and jammed the helmet backwards on the guard's head before throwing him into another group of guards. Now helmetless, everyone one else immediately recognized his face.

"Lin! Get him!"

They were mostly dishwashers, so they had only their fists as their weapons which was a good thing for Lin. He deflected the first two punches that came his way and countered with two elbow strikes to his attackers. They crumpled upon impact.

At that moment everyone in the room lunged at him while a few others ran off to alert the other guards. Lin didn't want to waste his energy in a pointless fight and scanned for the quickest way to the exit. He blocked a punch and slammed his knee into his stomach.

As his opponent staggered, Lin kicked off his knee and launched himself on the shoulder of another guard. From there, he made a single leap for the exit and slammed the door shut. Knowing that wouldn't hold them for long, he sprinted away and started looking for the stairs.

He could hear footsteps meaning hat the place was about to be swarming with guards. He found the stairs and ran up, but an archer suddenly showed up and fired an arrow at him. Lin caught the arrow and did a flying kick before the archer could load another one.

Lin then heard the sound of footsteps heading his way. Soon afterwards, a whole bunch of guards headed for the stairs weapons flashing. Thinking fast, he grabbed the archer by the scruff of his shirt and threw him down into the mob. He ended up tripping the guards in front which caused a temporary distraction. Lin hurried up the stairs to the second floor.

He was about to head up to the third floor when two sword-wielding guards, who managed to scramble up the stairs after the distraction, charged. Lin had to back up into the corridor to avoid their slashes. Lin managed to deflect the arm of one and deliver three punches which knocked him back. The other one tried to decapitate him, but he gave him an uppercut followed by a kick which knocked him back.

The other one recovered slashed with his sword only to get blocked. Lin countered with an uppercut followed by a roundhouse kick. He crashed into the corridor and knocked down a section of the wall. Almost immediately, a strange substance began pouring out of the wall. The corridor wasn't lit that much, so he couldn't tell what it was. Whatever it was, it was dark and looked like sand and seemed to be the source of the stench.

Lin turned his focus away from the strange substance to the corridor ahead which was filled with guards. There was no way he'd make it to the stairs. He ran down the corridor away from the guards. He saw the balcony up ahead, but he knew it was occupied by archers. He picked them over the mob that was following him through the corridor.

The archers on the balcony saw him coming. Two of them fired, while the other three readied themselves while the other two reloaded, a system that kept a steady stream of arrows heading for Lin. If it hadn't been for his reflexes, he would've been killed. Instead, he deflected each one sideways until they were all sticking out of the wall.

As he entered the balcony, one of the archers swung his bow at him. Lin rolled under it and knocked him off his feet. Two archers swung their bows while the other two managed to fire their arrows. He deflected the two arrows to hit the thighs of the archers that were charging at him.

The fell over clutching their bleeding thighs. Lin then charged at the two remaining archers. One of them rolled under his punch, but the other one was knocked out because of it. The remaining one hastily tried loading an arrow, but Lin delivered his elbow-backhand move which knocked him off the balcony. He was only one floor up, so he doubted that would kill him.

Lin went over to the balcony and looked around. Guards were swarming towards the fortress. He also saw one guy running for his life towards the tunnel out of the mountain like a coward. A few archers on the ground saw him and fired their arrows. Lin ducked to avoid them.

He could hear footsteps coming from the corridor. He had to find a way up the fortress fast. He looked around but found nothing. He looked up and saw the second floor balcony right on top of him. That gave him an idea.

Standing on the railings, he brought out his claws. They weren't as sharp as Mai Li's, but they'd have to do. He jumped and latched onto the railing. He panted a bit before pulling himself up. He thought it was a good plan; At least, until he pulled up a bit and saw an arrow pointed right between his eyes.

"Don't blink." the archer said. Thinking fast, Lin grabbed the archers ankles and dropped before the latter could fire. The archer used his bow to hang onto the railings preventing him and Lin from falling. The latter scrambled up his body and climbed to the next balcony only to be greeted by the other four archers, their arrows loaded.

They opened fire on him. Lin dodged and charged knocking out two of the archers. The other two were also rendered unconscious with a powerful dropkick. He then turned his attention to the last archer who was loosing his grip on his bow. Before he could fall, Lin grabbed his wrist and pulled him onto the balcony.

Instead of thanking Lin, the archer attempted a punch. Lin simply ducked and smashed his fist into the archer's back as he passed, knocking him out cold. Panting a little Lin looked into the corridor and found it empty. The other guards were probably on their way up, so he made a quick dash to the stairs and began running up to the last floor.

Every step he took brought him closer to Geng Wu, to his destiny. He eventually reached the top floor which only consisted of a long corridors that went around a large single room. Knowing this to be it, he ran down the corridor; after a few seconds, he was on the balcony and took out the five archers stationed there. Nothing stood in his way now.

He panted for a while and looked at the door that led to the large room. Lin slowly approached it and placed his paw on it. Inside was Geng Wu, the most feared warlord in China. All of Lin's training, all those days and nights he honed his skills, led to this very moment.

He placed his other paw on his chest and felt his LinkStar. He thought of Tigress who was working hard back home to fulfill her dream. He thought of Mai Li who was the reason he was there at Geng Wu's doorstep in the first place. He thought of his masters who gave him the encouragement and support he needed for this task. He thought of his parents who loved him with all their heart. He thought of his siblings who lost their lives before they could fully enjoy it.

They were all so far away from him, but Lin kept all of them in his heart. They were the true source of his strength, the reason he made it this far, the pillars that held him up. He wouldn't be fighting Geng Wu alone; he'd be fighting with all of them in his heart. He didn't stand a chance.

So Lin, with all that said and done, took a deep breath and backed up. With a loud cry, the charged and burst the door down with a single powerful kick. He entered the room and immediately went into his battle stance.

"GENG WU!"

The room was large and rectangular, the perfect place to fight. There was only a single window on the left side of the room. Some of the light from the torches on the ground shined through it illuminating something at the back of the room.

There was a throne right there at the back of the room in front of a green curtain. And sitting on the throne was a figure hidden in the shadows. It looked right at Lin who gasped and hesitated a bit. He eventually recovered and, with a loud cry, charged.

Lin got close enough and performed a jump kick. His foot successfully connected with Geng Wu's chest, toppling him and his throne over. Lin was panting like he had already fought an entire battle. He raised his fist ready to strike again, but something stopped him.

He had just kicked a straw dummy wearing clothes and sitting on the throne. Thinking this to be a trick, Lin jumped back and assumed his stance. He began looking around anticipating when and where Geng Wu would strike.

"Come out and fight me!" Lin shouted. There was no response. Instead, Lin heard something else, a low hissing sound.

"What? Did you hire some serpent warrior to weaken me first?" he asked out loud. Again there was no response.

Lin didn't lower his guard and searched for the source of the hissing. He put an ear to the floor, but heard nothing. He did the same to the wall and got the same result. He stuck his head out the window but didn't hear it. Just where was Geng Wu and the source of the sound?

He went around the fallen throne and examined it, finding nothing strange. He then moved to the green curtain behind it and saw something right in the middle of it. It looked like parchment with writing on it. Carefully, Lin took it off the curtain and read it.

You're far too nice for your own good Lin.

Lin stared wide-eyed at those words as he gripped the paper with trembling fingers. He then quickly threw the curtain aside revealing what was behind it- 10 large barrels filled to the brim with dynamite, a lit fuse was almost used up.

Everything suddenly made sense. The smell, that strange powdery substance that came out of the wall...

The whole fortress was going to...

He dropped the letter and made a mad dash of the window as the fuse got shorter and shorter. He kept thinking and hoping that he would make it, but the fuse was now almost completely used up. In an act of desperation, he jumped the remaining distance to the outside.

Lin had barely left the building when he was consumed by an almighty explosion.


	32. Chapter 32

_Opening Theme: Makka na Chikai by Yoshiki Fukuyama_

CHAPTER 32  
>TRAGEDY<p>

Earlier that same afternoon...

Since the day that Lin left to defeat Geng Wu, Tigress has been doubling her training efforts. Why right now, she was beating the splinters out of a bunch of wooden dummies while deflecting arrows coming from the arrow-firing mechanism of the Training Hall.

It was a rather difficult thing to do, but she managed it. She smashed her fist into a dummy sending it flying into a cluster of them. She then kicked two more dummies into a pile of sawdust and wood chips. She then backed up as arrows came her way making them thud as they struck the floor where she previously was. Sensing another dummy behind her, she spun around and smashed her heel into it. Before it could fall, she grabbed it and used it as a shield to block another onslaught of arrows before throwing it into another group of dummies.

As they tumbled, she deflected an arrow into another dummy's heart before smashing it with her fist. She landed on all flours and moved into a leg sweep to knocked the dummy over and then a kick to send it flying into the wall a few inches away from where master Shifu was.

He watched Tigress pant for a while before turning his attention to the arrows and sawdust scattered around. He slowly walked up to her. "Impressive Tigress." he told her.

Tigress caught a stray arrow heading for her head and threw it over her shoulder. She sat on a stray torso part of a dummy to rest. "It's nothing master..." she said panting. "I can still do better."

"Hmm..." Shifu had a feeling to why Tigress was training so hard. "Well, you could use a break for now."

"But master-" Tigress retorted.

Shifu held up a hand to silence her. "Don't over exert yourself Tigress. If you insist,you can rest for a good 20 minutes. That is all."

As Shifu walked away, Tigress sighed and collapsed on her back. She put a paw on her forehead and just laid there thinking, thinking of just how hard she just trained, of how hard she had been training for the past few weeks. Shifu was right; training herself to death wouldn't be good at all.

She thought about Lin; oh, how she wished he was with her. She took out her half of the LinkStar and held it up. Memories began to flood her mind, memories of them when they were just cubs, of them training and fighting together, of the brief with them just being together, loving each other.

Those memories were enough to bring a smile to her face. Her memories had started to really come back. It was really confusing at times. "Misha" and "Tigress" had two very different personalities. She often questioned herself about who she truly was, but it occurred to her that both personalities had something in common-a strong sense of justice and a desire to help those in need; maybe the two of them weren't so different at all.

Of course, Lin accepted her despite this fact, and that was good enough for her.

There were benefits to fully regaining her memories. She completely remembered her parents and all the love they gave her. But she also remembered every single detail of the moment they were killed. Having to remember that horrible ordeal after forgetting for several years was like experiencing their deaths all over again. Her heart felt so heavy when she thought of them.

All she had left were her two masters and Lin. They were her life now; to lose anyone of them would crush her. She remembered that promise she made with Lin, that she would become strong enough to stop horrible things from happening. She kept hold of that promise even after so much time had passed.

She thought about Lin a lot. She wondered how he was doing with his journey to defeat Geng Wu. He hoped that he was OK where ever he was, but most importantly, she hoped that he'd be able to come home safe and sound.

Several times, she considered following him and joining him on his journey, but she wanted to respect his decision. The best she could do now was work hard to fulfill her destiny and hope that he would return safely with the threat of Geng Wu gone forever.

"Tigress." came her master's voice. She sat up and saw him holding a bamboo staff. She tucked her LinkStar back under her vest and got up. She approached her master and entered a fighting stance.

"Focus Tigress." Shifu said gripping the staff tightly. Tigress nodded and charged. The master and student trained for the rest of the afternoon. By dinner, both Tigress and Shifu were tired, sweaty, and rather pleased with how the day went.

As they say down for dinner, Tigress's eyes traveled over to Lin's place. Once again, she wondered how he was doing. Was he eating right? Did he get enough sleep? Was he fighting Geng Wu right now? She was desperate to know just how he was doing.

Both Shifu and Oogway knew just how worried she was about Lin. They themselves were worried too, and hoped for his safe arrival.

Dinner eventually ended, and Tigress headed back to the Training Hall where she resumed training. She was about to hop on the Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion and get to work, but she decided to run the entire hall and back like in that race she had with Lin.

She was keeping her balance on the Jade Tortoise when the two masters entered and watched her train. She put up a good performance, and by the times she was done, she felt like she really pleased them.

When she finished Oogway smiled in approval, Shifu grabbed another bamboo staff. Tigress understood and approached him ready for another round of training with Oogway watching this time.

They trained long and hard into the night. It was very late when they finished, tired and panting as they were before dinner. An exhausted Tigress looked at Oogway who said: "Well done Tigress. Lin would be proud."

That comment was enough to make her smile. "Yes well, there is always room for improvement." Shifu added tired yet pleased with Tigress's performance. She was still beaming from Oogway's previous comment that she didn't mind what Shifu said.

"Well, she can make that improvement tomorrow; it's getting late." Oogway said with a sleepy yawn.

Tigress was rather tired herself; she couldn't wait to just get to her room and collapse. Of course, there were formalities first.

"Good night masters." she said bowing to them. They did the same, and she turn around and headed for the barracks. She stretched a little and continued on.

At that exact moment, there was an explosion inside the Heng Mountain.

At the same time, Tigress felt a sudden, powerful jolt coming from her chest. The jolt caused her to stumble and fall down on one knee. Her masters heard this and rushed to her side asking her what was wrong.

She didn't answer them. A feeling of dread suddenly enveloped her rendering her speechless. Her heart racing and her mid in a panic, she clutched her chest and felt her half of the LinkStar.

She could've sworn it suddenly turned as cold as ice.

* * *

><p>Since that moment, Tigress couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Indeed, Shifu and Oogway noticed how tense and agitated she was during the morning greeting and during breakfast. They just looked at each other in confusion wondering what was going on with her.<p>

Things didn't get any better for her during training. As she dove into the Gauntlet, she couldn't focus and blocked only half the blows. The other half were very painful and would leave her sore for quite some time. Somehow she managed to make it out. She sighed and closed her eyes and tried to calm down until she heard something whistling through the air.

She instinctively side-stepped and narrowly avoided two arrows that came her way. A third one went for her chest, but she caught it. She had totally forgotten that she had set those up. Dodging a few more arrows she ran towards the main switch and turned it off. the arrows stopped coming, and Tigress sat down panting in exhaustion.

"Tigress." She looked to her side and saw Shifu and Oogway who noticed the whole thing. She quickly composed herself and thought of a good explanation.

"Master I-" She didn't know what to say. Oogway and Shifu looked at each other before turning to her.

"Tigress, perhaps you could use a break." Shifu said surprising her.

"But master-"

"Tigress, you have been training intensely for the past few weeks." Oogway told her. "For all your hard work, you deserve at least a day's rest."

Tigress could sense the concern in his voice. She guessed that she could use a break to ease her mind a bit. She decided to comply and thanked Oogway for the break he gave her.

"Thank you master. I'll be heading for the village; maybe some air would calm me down." she told him. She then went on her way, her mind a buzz.

As she went down the steps into the village, she heard a rumble of thunder. Looking up, she saw more storm clouds covering the sky; it would be pouring any minute now. Several other villagers ran back indoors before it could rain. Tigress followed them and looked for a place to take shelter.

"What was I thinking about getting air in this weather?" she thought to herself as she looked around. Eventually, she found a tavern with a stable enough roof to survive the rain and ran into it.

It wasn't one of those dark, sinister-looking taverns filled with outlaws and thieves or anything which was good for her. She strolled on over counter and sat down.

"Can I get you anything?" the sheep tavern keeper behind the counter asked.

"Just...Just water for now." Tigress replied. The sheep went away for a while, and she cupped her chin in her palm. A few seconds later, he reappeared with a cup of water and a bowl of warm soup.

"The soup's from him." the sheep pointed at a young leopard who had his eyes on Tigress. He walked over and sat down next to Tigress.

"Your welcome." he said slyly. "Name's Zhao. Hope you like that soup."

Tigress looked at him puzzled for a while before trying some of the soup. It was the perfect thing for a cold day like this. "Well, thank you for the soup Zhao."

"No prob' really. Can't leave a pretty girl like you all cold and all right?" The second he said that, Tigress knew what he was getting on. "So I noticed you don't have an umbrella. Rain's gonna start, and I got one. C'mon, let's ditch this place and find somewhere else."

Zhao leaned towards her as he spoke; Tigress backed away. "I'm sorry, but I already have someone in my life." she told him.

"Hey I don't see him here. What he doesn't know won't hurt him." Zhao said; he was begging to irritate Tigress.

"Well why don't I hurt you. No means no, so back off." Tigress told him intimidatingly. Zhao finally chickened out and turn away. Satisfied, Tigress went back to her soup.

That incident got her thinking about Lin again. She couldn't shake the fact that something had happened the previous night. She tried to remain positive; maybe she really just was overworked from all the training. A good day's rest should make things better for her.

Just then, an exhausted goat burst into the tavern. He was covered in half-healed wounds and bruises. He slumped over to the counter, sat next to Zhao and yelled: "Just get me something!"

The tavern keeper looked startled for a while before running of and set a plate of food and some water for the goat who devoured it relentlessly. He took a drink so quickly that some of it spilled on Zhao.

"Hey, watch it!" he yelled at the goat.

"Shut up!" the goat snapped at Zhao. "You have no idea what kind of hell I've been through!"

He then put his face in his hands and started crying. The tavern keeper saw this and approached him. "As tavern keeper, it's in my job description to listen to my customer's problems. What seems to be bothering you sir?"

The goat looked up at him and sniffed. "They're gone...dead...my wife...my kids...my brothers and sisters...my friends...all dead..."

The tavern keeper looked at him in shock. Even Zhao was disturbed by this. "Whoa...what happened?" he asked.

"It happened early this morning." the goat said in tears. "My village was attacked! There's nothing left now."

"Who's responsible?" Zhao asked.

The goat looked at him with more tears in his eyes. "Geng Wu"

Zhao and the tavern keeper looked at each other in shock. "Wait, as in the Geng Wu?" Zhao asked hoping he was kidding. The goat nodded grimly.

"But...wait," the tavern keeper said. "Lin the Great. Didn't he appear?"

"Oh yeah. That guy always shows up during a Geng Wu attack." Zhao remembered.

"He didn't show. He...he's dead..."

"What?" Zhao and the tavern keeper said together.

The goat continued to look at them grimly. "I, and several others, was spared on purpose to deliver a message to all the other villages in China."

"What is that message?" the tavern keeper asked. The goat knew it word-per-word.

"'My nemesis, Lin the Great, has been defeated. His attempts to interfere with my plans are over.' At that point, he showed us his cloak. 'He was a fool, an arrogant, overconfident fool who thought everything would go his way. I am now free to do whatever I please, and to anyone who still wishes to oppose me...' After that, he cut one of the survivors in half."

Zhao and the tavern keeper looked at each other in shock. Zhao instantly felt worried and depressed. He turned to the tavern keeper. "Get us the strongest drink you got."

"Yes...I could use a drink myself." He turn to get a drink but noticed something odd. The other seat next to Zhao was empty.

She heard ever word.

* * *

><p>Tigress kept running and running and running not caring that the strong rain pounded her not caring how muddy the streets were. She ran and ran not knowing where to go; her legs were moving on their own while her mind was busy taking in what she just heard in the tavern.<p>

"Dead...dead...Lin...dead..." Those words seemed to thrash around inside while at the same time taking root there and choking her, making her feel an unimaginable amount of pain. But she just kept running until her legs hurt.

The other villagers jumped away in fright when she passed them. They had no idea what kind of pain she was experiencing. She heard a few of them yell at her saying that she should watch where she was going. She didn't know how long it's been she started. She wondered when she would stop.

She did eventually when she tripped on something. Her chin hit something concrete hard and painfully; that would hurt for quite some time. Judging by what she felt under her, she concluded that she had landed on a set of stairs.

Lin was gone, dead; she couldn't stop thinking of how horrible his death must have been. She would never seen him or hold him or speak with him ever again. So much for his destiny. She suddenly felt so cold, so alone in the world, and the pain of it was unbearable. For a long time, she just laid there in the rain trying to not feel anything, to forget...

But she couldn't forget. How could she forget him? Her memories of him were just too strong to let go. Those memories were now just reminding her of what she lost; maybe it would better to forget, to forget Lin...

Just the thought of his name caused more of those memories to pour in. She felt something familiar overcome her. Her body began shuddering slightly, her breath became quick and ragged and her thought were replaced by the sudden urge to scream out in fury and lash out at everything in sight.

She was going to snap again; she could feel it. It was like her parents deaths all over again. The fact that Lin's was caused by the same person almost drove her insane with hate and rage. Any minute now, she was going to become that violent, screaming girl who might end up hurting those around. Maybe that would ease her pain. She just stopped moving and waited for the insanity to take over her.

"...Tigress..."

His voice echoed in her mind and somehow stopped the insanity from coming. She felt herself calm down, but the pain of his death remained. If only he was there with her; all her pain would be gone in an instant. She looked up thinking that he was there.

He wasn't; apparently, she had landed on the steps to the Jade Palace, but there was no Lin in sight. Her heart, her everything yearned for him to make the pain go away, but he didn't show. She thought she was going to go berserk again, but a thought stopped her.

Would Lin want this? Would he like to see her lash out at everything in sight just as she did when she was younger? What would he say if he saw her do just that? Would she be doing any good?

No. He wouldn't want to see her like this. He would've wanted her to move forward, to not let despair stop her from doing anything. But the pain she felt still remained. It started to build up again at the thought of him, but she didn't want to turn vicious. She just had to let all her pain out.

So in the end, she started crying loudly into the rain. She screamed his name wanting more than anything for him to be at her side. If someone saw her, they would see the mighty Tigress, proud student of the great master Shifu and defender of the Valley of Peace, reduced to a sobbing, miserable state. It was just pitiful.

But Tigress didn't care if anyone saw or heard her. She just laid there and cried out every ounce of pain and loss she felt. She let those tears fall with no one there to wipe them away. Truly, she was just plain devastated by Lin's death; she wondered if she would ever recover from this.

After what seemed like a long time, she stopped crying. For several more moments, she laid there while the rain continued to pour. Then, she slowly raised her arm and grabbed the step above her. She did this again with her other paw and pushed.

Slowly, she began crawling up the incredibly long staircase. Her arms began to ache after a while, but she didn't care. In fact, she took out her claws to get a better grip. For what seemed like hours, she crawled up the stairs to the top.

Once she reached the top, she slowly rose to her feet. She staggered towards the main doors and pushed them open. She then staggered into the Hall of Warriors dripping water as she did; Zeng would have some mopping up to do later.

Right before she reached the Moon Pool, she collapsed. Slowly, she turned over until she faced the ceiling. Her body felt numb from all the crying she did. Then, she slowly took out her LinkStar and gazed into it. Its other half was probably gone forever just like hers.

She dropped the LinkStar on her chest and stared at the ceiling. Something caught her eye: the magnificent statue of a golden dragon surrounded by clouds. Her eyes traveled to the dragon's mouth where the Dragon Scroll, the source of limitless power, sat.

"I believe in you."

"I think you'd make a great Dragon Warrior. You have everything..."

She raised her right arm and tried to reach for it even though it was on the ceiling. Slowly, her face changed from a blank expression into one filled with determination. She slowly clenched her outstretched paw into a fist as if she was holding the scroll in her paws. Then, for the first time in a long time, she spoke.

"I'll...I'll do it for you...Lin..."

* * *

><p>Since that moment, Tigress tripled her training efforts, training more vigorously and frequently. Eventually, Oogway and Shifu heard the terrible news and were stunned by it. They both tried to comfort Tigress; Shifu especially since he made a promise to Lin, but even though Tigress appreciated their concern, she just stuck to her training.<p>

Sleeping, eating and training were all she ever did. Years began to pass with her following this routine. Eventually, Shifu took in four other student to train with her. Tigress thought them to be good and friendly, but she was never really close to them; she was too engrossed with her own training.

All the things she did, she did to fulfill her dream, her destiny. That was all she ever wanted, the reason behind everything she worked and sacrificed for. This was the least she could do for him, for the one who believed in her. She would do it; she would become the Dragon Warrior for her childhood fried, for her fellow student, for her one and only love...She would do it for Lin.

...

...

...

Of course...you know how _that_ turned out.


	33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33  
>PRISONER<p>

Several years earlier...

All he could remember before the void was nothing but pain.

It was a horrible world of pain from which he would love nothing more to get away from. It enveloped him with almost maddening pain. He wanted to scream with all his might, but his body refused to do anything but lie still and feel the intense, burning pain.

After what seemed like a long time, he left the world of pain and entered the dark, empty void. Was this death? He seemed to just stand there unable to move at all. Worst of all, he didn't remember anything. Had the world of pain stripped him of his memories?

He tried with all his might to remember something, anything from before the world of pain, but his mind remained blank and empty. He didn't want to stay in this dark world of nothingness forever. He looked around for anything that would lead him out, but all he saw was more darkness.

Light. He needed light to get out, but there was nothing in sight. He called out for it hoping it would show up to guide him out of the void, but it didn't show up. He started to fall into despair and try to just let the void take him.

Then a memory stirred in his head.

It was a young tiger cub that seemed strangely familiar though he couldn't remember anything else about her.

_You're giving me too many things_  
><em>Lately you're all I need and more<em>

This the first memory he obtained, So he tried focusing on her, trying to remember everything she could about her. She them grinned at him as if she was glad he remembered her. It actually made him smile too. Just who was this girl who made him feel so happy?

_You smiled at me and said,_

He remembered something else. He was in the middle of a burning village filled with screams and cries for mercy. He saw that tiger cub run a round throwing herself at two figures with fury in her eyes. He couldn't believe that this was the same sweet-looking cub he remembered. One of the figures struck her head, and her body hit the ground. He screamed for her, but no sound came out of his mouth.

_Don't get me wrong I love you_  
><em>But does that mean I have to meet your father?<em>

He saw her before him again, and he tried to approach her. As he did, she began to change. She seemed to age right before his eyes. By the time she was right in front of her, she had grown into a young woman. She was older but seemed different somehow. She was just as beautiful as she was when he first saw her.

_When we are older you'll understand_  
><em>What I meant when I said "No,"<em>

He hesitated a bit before raising a paw and placing it on her shoulder. She grinned at his touch and placed a paw on his cheek. At that moment, he felt a sudden desire to leave even though she was shaking her head wanting him not to go.

He didn't want to leave; he wanted to stay with this girl, forever if it were possible, but something seemed to call him. He had to go do something important, but he could feel that she was important too. Why did he have to leave? The very thought of it hurt him. But eventually he gave into the calling, turned around and then walked away.

Why did he have to go?

_"I don't think life is quite that simple."_

Every step he made took him away from her. Every step seemed to hurt; it was almost like the world of pain again. How he wished that he stayed with her. It would've made staying in this empty void not a bad thing at all. She wondered if she was hurt by this whole thing. She must be for he sensed a strong bond between them.

_When you walk away_  
><em>You don't hear me say please<em>  
><em>Oh baby, don't go<em>

After while, he stopped walking and turned around. He was amazed by how much distance he covered during the brief period of walking. She was far off into the distance still looking at him. He wished he'd stayed longer with her and maybe said good bye, but they were too far away from each other. So instead, he gave her a smile, a smile that said: "I'll see you again". She returned it and nodded at him. With that last image of her in his heart, he pressed forward.

_Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight_  
><em>It's hard to let it go<em>

He continued walking forward without turning his back on where he had to go wondering if he would ever see her again. He would again one day; he'd make sure of it. Just the thought of seeing her again made whatever he had to do worthwhile.

And then before he knew it, there she was again right in the distance. He smiled at the thought of being with her again, he ran towards her happy that he was done with whatever he had to do. He suddenly stepped upon seeing her face. She seemed panicked and extended her arm to him beckoning him to get to her.

_Hold me_  
><em>Whatever lies beyond this morning<em>  
><em>Is a little later on<em>  
><em>Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all<em>

He stared at her wondering what was wrong until he looked behind him. He saw a massive cloud of fire head straight for him. He quickly turned and ran as fast as he could to the tiger girl ready to grab her arm when he was near enough.

But the fire was getting closer and closer and moving quicker. He ran as fast as he could to get away from it. He began to near the tiger girl and extended his arm towards her. He jumped the remaining distance and tried to grab her.

_Nothing's like before._

And then the flames consumed him taking him back into the world of pain. He struggled to hold onto his memories of the girl before the pain would make him forget. Like before, he left the world of pain, but this time, his memory of the girl remained.

He looked around hoping that she had survived the flames, but she was nowhere in sight. But he knew that she did survive; he could feel it; this wasn't something that would bring her down so easily. He would find her again; he didn't know when or how long it would be before they meet again, but it was sure to happen.

He loved that girl, and she loved him; he was sure of it. How could he have forgotten her? she was out there somewhere waiting for him never forgetting who he was. Now, he remembered who she was. He stretched out his arm as if he was reaching towards her from several miles away. He closed his eyes, smiled and spoke her name.

"...Tigress..."

* * *

><p>"Keep searching! The master wants to see his body!" a rhino yelled at he others. They were inside the Heng Mountain a few hours after the fortress exploded. He and most of other warriors were carrying torches ans they searched the wreckage of the fortress. They found several dead bodies, but there was one body they were interested in.<p>

"Hey boss!" a scout ran towards him carrying something. "I found this behind the armory tent!" He showed a brown, travelling cloak. "I think it's his cloak sir."

The rhino snatched it away. "I don't want to see his cloak; I want to see his body! Now get back to searching!" he yelled before the scout ran off. With the scout gone, he moved his eyes mover the mound of burnt wood and dead bodies that used to be the fortress. "Where are you...?" he muttered.

And then...

"H-Hey boss! I think we found him!"

The rhino turned towards a group that had gathered around something. He quickly ran towards them and barked an order to get out of his way. He looked at what they were all staring at: the body of an all too familiar lynx. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

No one spoke. The rhino went over and shook his body getting no response. He then proceeded to slap his face repeatedly until his own hand was sore. He didn't respond to any of that. The rhino started asking around for something to carry his body in.

And then Lin slowly opened his eyes.

Everything was blurry, but he could make out figures staring down at him speaking as if they were at the far end of a tunnel. He was unable to move his body which hurt like hell especially his legs. He thought that they might have taken the worst part of the blast.

The rhino smiled and handed the cloak to someone else. "Tie this to the messenger hawk and get it to the master. With any luck, he'll get it before the first attack in months starts." he ordered. "Someone get me some rope."

He got some rope and tied it around Lin's ankles. Then, they dragged him around as they left the mountain interior. Still wondered what was going on, Lin closed his eyes and passed out.

When he woke up again, the first thing he noticed was that he was in the air dangling from two shackles around his wrists, his weight causing a painful strain on his arms. Next, he noticed that he was in a dark room lit only by two torches in the corners. He had no idea where he was.

"You're going to wish you'd died there." a voice said. Lin looked forward and saw a smug alligator staring at him. He strolled over to him smiling arrogantly. "My master's gonna give you hell; hope you enjoy." He laughed heartily before walking towards the door. Before he could leave, Lin spoke for the first time.

"What...happened...?"

The alligator stopped. Smirking, he turned towards Lin and walked up to him. "Our master has been planning your death for months." he began. "Didn't you think, for even just a second, that he might have had a back-up plan?"

Lin blinked at him trying to take in what he said. Seeing his confusion, the alligator explained. "Mai Li was given one last instruction. If her plan was compromised, if she failed to complete her mission, she was ordered to tell you of the fortress within Heng Mountain. It was a trap."

"The fortress wasn't our true base; it was built to kill you. It's walls and floors were filled to the brim with gunpowder; one explosion from one stick of dynamite would blow the whole place sky-high. My master stayed there to make the other guards think he was there. For weeks, he did nothing. When he received word that the back-up plan would be placed in action, he sneaked out and was replaced by a dummy. Everything was all set."

"Then you showed up just as we hoped you would. As soon as it was announced that it was you who infiltrated the fortress, one guard, the only one in the fortress who knew about the plan, ran to the main room and lit the fuse. The whole things blew to smithereens taking you and several other guards with it. Well...seeing you like this was worth sacrificing a few soldiers."

"Actually, my master didn't care if you survived or not. Either way, you're in no condition to stop us now. And boy do we have plans for you." The alligator laughed evilly for a while before taking his leave.

Lin was left all alone with nothing to do but think. He never expected this to happen. Everything seemed so simple; go to the Heng Mountain, beat Geng Wu, go home to Tigress and live happily ever after. Would there still be a "happily ever after"?

Would he ever see Tigress again?

He couldn't even imagine what kind of painful death Geng Wu had in store for him. He tried to put the thought aside and thought of a way to escape. He tried pulling on the chains, but that only made his arms hurt even more than they already did.

After a while, he gave up and just waited for something to happen. Before long, the door opened, and several armed guards came in. They lowered Lin to the ground and bound his ankles and wrists with more chains. One of them put a bag over his head before they carried him out.

He felt himself being thrown into a carriage and carried away. No doubt he was being guarded even though he couldn't see them. He just sighed and laid down. He wished that his arms were free so he could hold his LinkStar. That would've given him some comfort for the ordeal he was in.

After a few hours, the carriage stopped, and Lin was thrown out. His face hit the ground painfully, but someone forced him up and ripped the bag off his head. He stared in horror what was before him.

He was staring at what remained of a large town. It was just like Maluyong. Only this time, the destruction was still fresh; some of the toppled buildings were still on fire. Dead bodies were scattered around.

Upon seeing all those men women and children who were killed, who he could've saved, Lin started shuddering and soon burst into tears. The guilt of not being able to save them choked him up.

He heard someone approach him from behind, someone who made his spine tingle with fear and his fur stand up. "Behold," said a cruel voice. "This town was once a bustling trading village. Merchants from China and beyond would gather here sharing wares and stories with one another. Now look at it; look at the destruction at my hand; look at what you could have prevented if not for your foolishness."

Shaking slightly, Lin turned around but kept his eyes on the ground, at the speaker's feet. "Lin the Great...hero of China and my only nemesis..."

"I'm...I'm not a hero..." Lin managed to say without looking up. "I just...just do the right thing with the talents I'm given..."

Silence was his response. Lin could feel his gaze on him. "Young, humble, just, kind, fair...naive and foolish...I see what I used to be in you."

That puzzled Lin. "What're you-" He dared to look up and suddenly stopped.

Geng Wu was right there in front of him. The grey-furred wolf was tall, around six and a half feet tall and carried in his right hand a katana that was as long as he is tall. But the most surprising part of Geng Wu was his eyes.

They were both dark red, but the moment Lin gazed into them, he didn't see the face of the wolf. He instead saw the destruction of his and Tigress's old village as well as his discovery of his dead family in those eyes. Sudden, powerful and almost maddening anger and hate consumed him. He lashed out at Geng Wu screaming in fury; he would've hit him if it weren't for the chains. For a split second, eye contact was broken, and he felt himself calm down a bit. But then eye contact was made again, he was back to screaming in fury.

"I was born with a curse." Geng Wu explained to the thrashing Lin. "It is known as the Glare of Hate. Anyone who made eye contact with me has been driven mad with pure hate and fury and the desire to kill me."

"My own parents were no exception. I loved them, and they loved me, but even their love could not stop the curse. My father came at me with knives; my mother screamed and threw things at me, and I just stood there and let it happen."

"I," He pointed his sword at Lin. "Was just like you as a child. I tried to be good, to be a decent person to others...but no matter what good I did, I always ended up being hated and despised, as if I could be blamed for my condition."

"There was a spark of decency within me that slowly began to die out as the years went by. By the time it was gone, I finally learned the truth of the world. No matter how good you are, you will not be sparred from the cruelties of the world. Those who remain true and good, are destroyed by those who are not. The only way to survive in this world is to be as cruel and merciless as you can."

"Is that what you think you're doing!" Lin shouted in fury. "You think you're trying to survive in this world by wiping out those who are good!"

Geng Wu ran up and slammed his knee into Lin's chin knocking him on his back. With eye contact broken, Lin felt himself calm down. "That spark of decency within you...I must extinguish it..." Geng Wu said.

Lin closed his eyes to avoid eye contact. "So what're you waiting for?" he asked. "What's stopping you from killing me?"

"The fact that you have been a nuisance to me for too long." Geng Wu answered. "Instead of death, I have a more interesting way to put out that spark within you."

Lin kept his eyes shut as he was dragged across the ground. After a while, he stopped and heard someone move in front of him. "Open your eyes." Geng Wu ordered from behind him. Lin thought it safe until he opened his eyes.

He was staring into the face of a dead sheep. A the soldier holding him held his eyes open, so Lin could stare into those dead, empty eyes. Sudden, nerve-wrecking guilt consumed him at the sight of someone he could've saved.

He was forced to look into those eyes for a whole minute. "You still have an entire village to go." Geng Wu said. Lin looked up and saw just how many dead there was. He would have to look into all of their dead eyes, and beg for forgiveness.

"And this will continue for as long as you live..." Geng Wu said as Lin was moved to the next body, this time of a small child. From there, he moved to another, and then another, and then another...

* * *

><p>Present day more than 20 years later...<p>

The guard was about to fall asleep when his fellow guard punched him in the arm. "Damn it, wake up. Master's coming!"

The sleepy guard was instantly wide awake. Both of them straightened up and gazed at the floor to avoid eye contact with their master. Soon enough, he was right before them.

"How is he?" Geng Wu asked.

"Same as always master." one of the guards said opening the door behind them. He stepped aside and let his master in alone.

Geng Wu had visited this room countless times to taunt its occupant. This occupant was still suspended in mid-air from chains around his wrists. He wore rags instead of regular clothes and his skin was covered with scars and bruises.

"Here for more taunting?" Lin asked without looking up.

Geng Wu frowned. He wasn't exactly in a good mood. "Look at me." he ordered. Lin didn't budge. "I said look at me!" Geng Wu drew his sword and pointed at his face. It was an old threat he made; look at me, or I'll cut your eyelids off. Lin sighed before complying.

After all these years, his reaction didn't change. Burning anger coursed through his veins as he thrashed against the chains to attack the wolf before him. Lin also began screaming and cursing at him, something he thought he'd never do.

Lin eventually had the sense to look away and calm down. He panted for a while before speaking. "You're in an awfully bad mood." he commented.

"You have no idea." Geng Wu replied angrily gripping his sword. "For the first time, I am forced to stop an attack before even starting it."

Lin raised and eyebrow, but he didn't look up; he was too clever for that. "I thought you were planning on raiding Gongmeng City; aside from me, who could possibly worry you to the point of stopping an attack?"

Geng Wu growled angrily. "As you know, our spies within Gongmeng City reported of Shen's desire to conquer China, a desire that would interfere with my plans..."

"So you decided to take him out thus leaving you free to do whatever you please." Lin finished. Geng Wu growled again at being interrupted.

"Everything was going so well until Shen was defeated."

"Someone beat you to him? Who could've done such a thing?" Lin asked.

Geng Wu walked towards him. "A group I've once dismissed but now concerns me. Shen was defeated by three Kung Fu masters, the furious Five and...the Dragon Warrior..."

At those last three words, Lin's eyes widened, and his body seemed to tingle. "They are now a threat and must be dealt with." Geng Wu continued unaware of Lin's reaction. "I do not underestimate them; I need a solution to this..."

Muttering to himself, Geng Wu left Lin to himself. Lin was still pondering that last bit of news. China was doomed, about to be taken over by an iron-fisted (or winged) tyrant, but he was stopped. China was saved from certain doom and destruction.

The Dragon Warrior...

"...Tigress..."

For the first time in years, Lin smiled.

* * *

><p>The song above was Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru<p> 


	34. Chapter 34

Hi guys. This this the start of a new story arc, one that takes place after the two movies. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p><em>Opening Song: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru<em>

CHAPTER 34  
>ASSAULT IN THE NIGHT<p>

They were happily playing in the river on a sunny day, the young lynx and tiger cubs. Splashing water at each other while laughing and chasing one another, they couldn't have asked for anything else to do.

"Can't catch me Misha!" the lynx cub yelled plashing some water before running away.

"Just you watch me Lin!" the tiger cud said before chasing him. He was quick, but she managed to catch up with him. Just when she was about to tag him, he spun away at the last second and bolted in the other direction.

"No fair!" Misha yelled running after him. Lin just laughed and decided to let her catch him. He slowed down a bit and let Misha tag him.

"Got you..." Misha said catching her breath. Lin smiled at her before turning skywards.

"Uh oh, it's getting late." He turned to his best friend. "My mom and dad might worry."

"Yeah, we better go." The cubs left the river and began walking the familiar path to Lin's house. After walking for a few minutes, they reached his house and stopped by the front door.

"See ya tomorrow Misha." Lin said waving good-bye. He was about to step into his house when Misha put her paw on his shoulder stopping him. "What's wrong Misha?"

"Well..." she shifted nervously. "Hey Lin...have you ever...kissed a girl before...?"

"Wh-what?" Lin said taken aback. "I...uh...n-no I haven't yet..." he said twiddling his thumbs.

"Really?" Misha said noticing his nervousness. It made her giggle a bit. "Well then..."

She slowly walked towards her best friend. Lin asked her what she was doing, but she silenced him by pressing her lips onto his. Contact lasted for only about three seconds before Misha pulled away. He just stared forward with his cheeks so pink, she didn't even know such a shade existed. He felt like his head had turned off or something.

"So uh...yeah, that was my first kiss too." Misha said shyly. Lin was still to stunned to respond. "Well...good night Lin; I'll see ya tomorrow."

She turned away and began walking home. She looked over her shoulder and saw Lin still staring into empty space, a sight that made her giggle again. She continued on her way home and just couldn't wait to play with him again tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Several years later, Tigress woke up after dreaming about the aforementioned event. She sat up upon the mat she slept on and thought about it. Was she really that childish all those years ago? Before she got to where she was now? She seemed so different now compared to then.<p>

She sighed thinking about that. So much had changed ever since the day she first kissed Lin. Back then, she was Misha, an average tiger cub with a heart of gold. Now look at her, Master Tigress, leader of the Furious Five, defender of the Valley of Peace.

This defender had woken up in the middle of the night; the others were still fast asleep. With a sigh, she laid back down and tried to go back to sleep. A few seconds after laying down, she heard something fall outside her door. Curiosity overpowering her sleepiness, she slid her door open and looked down. She gazed at a rock-sized object with a lit fuse on the ground for a second before it exploded sending out a massive smoke cloud.

As it spread, the smoke forced Tigress back into her room. It started to make her gag and choke; startled cries from the other rooms indicated that the others were awake as well. She didn't know who was attacking them in the middle of the night, but the first step would be to get out.

Tigress stepped into the hallway, but an arrow sailed through the air and missed her by a few inches. She ducked back into her room to avoid a few more. "Tigress?" Viper's voice came from the adjacent room. She coughed a bit. "What's going on!"

"We're under attack!" Tigress shouted back. Archers continued to fire into the smoke not knowing if they hit their target or not. Tigress knew this and rushed into the smoke. She heard arrows com her way and dodged them. When she reached the entrance, there were no archers in sight.

She heard something come up from behind her and immediately readied herself to strike. After a few seconds, the lumbering figure of Po appeared from the smoke and started wheezing and panting. "That stuff...can't be...good for you lungs..." he managed to say.

Shortly after that, the rest of the five showed up wheezing and coughing from the smoke. Before anyone could speak, another arrow thudded against the door frame. Several archers began running as fast as they could away from the group. Wanting to know who attacked them, Po and the five began their pursuit.

Meanwhile...

Though Shifu was asleep, he woke up as something hit the floor. Instincts kicking in, he jumped out of his bed and kicked the smoke bomb out of his window where it exploded harmlessly.

"Nice moves considering your age." Shifu turned towards the door and saw several sword wielding crocs. Standing in front of the group was their leader, a Corsac Fox with an eye patch over his left eye. In both of his paws, he carried a long whip with a pointed barb at the end and a spike at the base of the handle.

"Who are you?" Shifu demanded.

"The dead don't need answers; get him!" the fox ordered, and Shifu found his room swarmed.

Back with his students, they had chased their assailants through the dark, moonless night. They eventually came across a group at the Training Hall courtyard. This group consisted of twenty sword-wielding boars lead by a large gorilla carrying a large, pole arm with circular axe head. "About time you six showed up." he said. "You've kept us waiting." He snapped his fingers, and 15 archers appeared on the roof already loaded.

"What's the plan Po?" Tigress asked ready to strike at any moment.

"Same as always: bring 'em the thunder." Po answered laughing a bit.

"I think we'll need something more specific." Crane said not keeping his eyes of their enemies.

"OK. Mantis and Crane, you take out the guys on the roof. The rest of us'll mop up these guys on the ground." Po instructed.

"Making plans? It's not like it's going to work." the gorilla said before laughing heartily. After a few seconds, he suddenly stopped and spoke seriously. "Slaughter them."

Then archers immediately fired, and Mantis and Crane got to work. While Crane deflected a few arrows, Mantis jumped from arrow to arrow, his weight messing up their trajectory, and launched himself at the archers. The first archer he struck didn't even know he was near until he felt a powerful blow on his stomach. His last thought before blacking out was how could someone so small pack so much strength.

Another archer saw this and fired an arrow at the bug who jumped on it and launched himself again. Mantis landed on his arm and knocked the bow out of his hands before giving him a kick in the chin. Another archer tried firing, but as he released his arrow, Crane suddenly showed up and redirected his arms, making the arrow strike another archer's leg. The first archer tried to strike Crane, but the latter threw him over his shoulder and off the roof. Their job wasn't done yet, and both of them lunged at the remaining archers.

Those on the ground were also doing fine. Monkey found himself face-to-face with six warriors who were out for his blood. He however was to quick and nimble for them. He tumbled under the slash of one and did a spinning jump kick to the side of his head. Another one stabbed at him, but he leaped over the sword and smashed his knee into his chin. As he landed, Monkey grinned mischievously at the others and beckoned them to attack.

Viper was also quick enough to evade a few slashes. When a sword struck the ground where she was, she slithered up the sword and smacked its wielder's head with her tail. She launched herself at another warrior and coiled around his head and arm. He tried to resist her, but was too strong and made him turn against his own comrades.

Tigress was just a fierce and powerful as ever. She caught a warrior's sword arm and threw him aside. She ducked another slash and knocked that warrior off his feet with a leg sweep. Another one tried to attack her from behind, but she sprung up and sank her elbow into his stomach. She then punched another one away while wondering who they were and why they were attacking.

Po did what he said and brought the thunder. As he tossed the boars aside while the gorilla just stood in the sidelines observing him and the rest of the five fight. Eventually, he decided to enter the fray himself. He twirled his axe over his head before jumping at Po.

"Po, look out!" Monkey yelled as he saw this. Po managed to sidestep as the axe came down embedding itself in the ground. Po tried a punch, but the gorilla raised handle of his weapon and used it to block Po's fist. He then pulled it out of the ground and swung it; Po jumped back to avoid the slash.

Po landed and waited for the next attack. By then, the rest of the boar warriors had been taken out leaving the gorilla alone to take the six of them on. They all stared at him and heard him mutter: "Five minutes." Did he really think he could kill them all in that time?

Po and the five lunged at him. The gorilla knocked Po on his back and raised his axe ready to bury it in the panda's chest. Luckily, he rolled sideways causing the axe to embed itself in the ground once more. Monkey scampered up the axe and kicked his head a few times. The gorilla tried grabbing him with his free hand, but he had already jumped off. Tigress ran in and kicked his chest, sending him flying.

He unfortunately landed on his feet and charged once more. Crane flew in at him and brushed his axe aside when he tried stabbing at him which allowed Mantis who was on his head, to attack. The gorilla blocked his blow with his arm and swung his axe around forcing the two masters to back off.

The gorilla charged at Po once more. As he swung his axe downwards, Po clamped his paws over the blade and stopped it in its tracks, stunning the gorilla. Po laughed as threw the axe upwards giving him an opening to punch the gorilla's stomach twice before kicking him back.

As he staggered back, Tigress charged. The gorilla managed to recover and swung his axe at her. She was able to catch the axe in her paws and tried to wrestle it away from him, but his grip was too tight. He leaned his face near hers; she could smell his horrible breath.

He grinned at her. "Guess I can finally finish what I started." he muttered. For some reason, the sound of his voice sent a chill up her spine. It was dark, but his face was familiar for some reason.

The gorilla took advantage of her hesitation and pulled away from her. As he raised his axe to strike her down, she regained her sense and evaded the blow. Quickly, she struck his arm and chest causing him to let go of his weapon. She caught his axe and used it to sweep him off his feet. As he tried to get up, Tigress pointed his own weapon at him.

"Who are you and why have you attacked us?" she demanded. The ox laughed again at her question.

"This was a win-win situation. I may have lost this battle, but we have one something else." he said.

"Hey now, you lost. You gotta do what we say." Po told him. The gorilla tilted his head and smiled.

"Not if Huu there has anything to say about it."

"Who?"

There was the sound of someone landing on the ground nearby. The next second, Po looked down to see two long whips wrap around his ankles. The fox, Huu, pulled, causing Po's face to hit the ground. Monkey, Viper, Crane and Mantis lunged at him, but he began whipping the area in front and around him so violently, none of the masters wanted to get any close.

As Tigress watched, the gorilla stood up and punched her so hard, she was knocked off her feet. As she crashed, the gorilla picked up his fallen weapon. Huu then jumped to his side. For some reason, he also made Tigress feel a chill up her spine. Who were these two?

"Having trouble Xing?" he asked the gorilla who scoffed. Both them them turned towards the group.

"We have won something else this night. We'll leave, but we'll return to finish what we started." Xing said before tossing a few smoke bombs. Another smoke cloud appeared blinding the Tigress and the rest. When it cleared, Huu, Xing, and the rest of the warriors were gone.

Tigress went over and helped Po to his feet. "The heck was that about?" he asked dusting himself.

"They sounded like this whole fight was a diversion." Viper told them.

"But from what? What was that fox doing?" Crane asked out loud.

"He was fighting me." Shifu said appearing in their midst. "There is something I must show you."

Confused, his students followed him inside. Shifu led them to the Hall of Warriors. At the back, they saw around half of the Thousand Scrolls of Kung Fu were missing. "This was their true intent. By distracting us, someone managed to steal several of the scrolls." Shifu told them.

"That's not so bad." Po said trying to alleviate the tension. "I mean, they didn't get all of them."

"True, but those scrolls contain generations of Kung Fu teachings. In the wrong hands, their teachings could be used in unspeakable ways." Shifu said grimly.

"Well what do we do now?" Monkey asked.

Shifu paced around thinking. "We should be on the alert. We could be attacked any time now. Rest up and resume your training for tomorrow."

Po and the five agreed with him. They bowed to their master and headed back to the barracks to sleep. All of them slept wondering who were those two and why they attacked.

"How are the scrolls?" Xing asked Huu. They were at the base of the stairs heading to the Jade Palace.

"Already on their way to the master." Huu replied. "Those fools are so oblivious to the masters grand plan, it's almost pitiable."

They walked away in silence. "That girl..." Xing began.

"Yes, I recognize her." Huu put an paw on his eye-patch. "...Misha..."

"I still have those scars from her. Her claws were sharp for someone her age." Xing said. "I wished I'd killed her."

"Patience Xing. We will return to the Valley of Peace very soon." Huu said smirking a bit. "Phase one of the master's plan is complete. Now, for phase two..."


	35. Chapter 35

Hey guys, I'm just curious, when you read this fic and put the characters' voices in your head, who do you use as Lin's Mai Li's and Geng Wu's? I'm just wondering...

* * *

><p><em>Opening Song: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru<em>

CHAPTER 35  
>BREAKOUT<p>

A little over half a year later...

Lin's plan was already set. Any minute now, guards would come in to feed him dinner, just enough to keep him alive. He knew the procedure; a large group would enter and lower him to the ground where his wrists and ankles were bound with more chains. Then, they would guard the entrance as one of them fed him by placing food on a spear. He hoped his plan would work. If what he heard yesterday was true, it had to work.

He would've done this plan a long time ago, but things now and then were a lot different. Being the weak and powerless prisoner, not many guards came to feed him. As the years went by, the number of guards that came in to feed him went to five. Before, he'd have around 30 which would've upset his plans.

As the door creaked open, he smirked a bit and hoped everything would go well. He looked up and saw only five guards enter the room. The same routine was performed. In a matter of minutes, he was on the ground with chains around his feet and ankles. Four of the guards blocked the door while one of them put a moldy piece of bread on a spear and offered it to Lin. No one ever approached him as he ate.

He took a bite out of the bread. After chewing for a while, he suddenly spat it out surprising the guards. "This bread's too moldy!" he complained at the guards.

"Look, it's either you die of hunger, or get your head cut off by the master." the guard put another piece of bread on the spear. "I'd go with the latter if I were you."

Everything was going well so far. Lin sniffed the bread before taking a bite. He spat it out almost immediately. "Don't you know what happen's to me when I eat moldy bread?" he asked. He hoped that they would fall for his bluff.

"I don't care; just eat!" the guard said poking his face with the moldy-bread-tipped spear. Lin sighed and took the whole thing in his mouth.

He swallowed it instantly and froze up. He fell on his back, and began twitching and making gagging noises. Alarmed, the guards got up and surrounded him; none of them wanted to touch him. "What's going on?" one of them asked.

"I'm dying; what else does it look like!" Lin choked out as he continued to pretend to gag and twitch. The guards looked at each other. As much as Geng Wu hated Lin, he wanted him to die by his own hand. If he died on their watch, their master would waste no time in cutting them in half.

The guards began to argue with one another. "We gotta do that...that Heimlich...thingy."

"I'm not touching him; what if he throw up or something?"

"It's either this, or the master's wrath."

"Alright, I'll do it. Just hold him still."

To Lin's delight, they laid their swords aside. Two of them got Lin on his feet and stepped aside as another approached him from behind and put his arms around his stomach. One of them stood in front of him. All the players were in place; time for the show to begin.

Even though his wrists were chained, he could still raise his arms. He did just that and brought them down on the head of guard in front of him, hitting him with the shackles and knocking him out. As the other guards looked stunned by what was going one, Lin hit the guard behind him with his elbow. The latter let got of him leaving Lin the chance to swing his shackles and hit his head, knocking him out.

The other three guards came to their senses and picked up their weapons. One of them charged and slashed; Lin raised his arms making the sword cut through the chains, freeing his paws. He thanked the guard by giving him a good upper cut that left him groaning in pain. He grabbed his sword and broke the chains on his ankles.

The other two guards lunged. Lin used the sword to block them as they slashed at the same time. He countered by kicking one in the stomach. The other guard watched him crumple, giving Lin the opportunity to strike his head with the butt of his sword, knocking him out. With all the guards unconscious, Lin panted for a while before dropping the sword and dropping on all fours. Very heroic.

He hadn't done that much physical work in years, so he was very tired. He gave himself one minute to rest before getting to work. His minute was eventually up, and he got to his feet. He slowly walked towards the door and placed a paw on it. He didn't know how many guards were on the other side. He didn't have the strength nor the time to fight them all. He had to use his energy solely by getting the hell out of wherever he was. Bracing himself, he threw the door open and ran for his life.

He saw stairs before him and ran up. He heard cries of surprise, but he ignored them. He raced up the stairs and burst through another door at the top. He emerged from a small shack in the middle of a forest. As he considered his next move, he heard footsteps from behind him. He quickly bolted into the forest before the guards would arrive.

Twigs and branches hit hit as he ran, but he didn't care. He eventually reached a dirt path and ran along it. He could hear the guards catch up with him and put on an extra burst of speed. He didn't have time to look over his shoulder and check on them, but he was sure that he would be able to dodge anything they-

An arrow went over his should shocking him so much that he stopped. He turned and saw a group of Geng Wu's warriors running towards him. There wer two archers among them, and one of them fired an arrow. To Lin, the arrow seemed to travel faster than usual. He tried catching it, but it slipped right through his paw. He stared at his outstretched paw in disbelief for several seconds before turning around and resuming his run.

His legs began to ache greatly, but he didn't slow down one bit. Eventually, he looked over his shoulder and saw that they weren't there anymore. He must've out ran them, but he didn't want to take any chances. He continued running for twenty more minutes before spotting a large rock by the side of the road. He dove behind it before anyone could notice.

He was breathing so rapidly, he was afraid he'd start hyperventilating. His legs burned with all the running he did. Lin clutched his head and tried to figured out what had happened. He should've easily caught that arrow even after years of lack of physical labor. Now that he thought about it, the attacks of the guards he took out seemed a little faster than he thought they would. His eyes widened as he came to a conclusion.

His precious, razor-sharp reflexes were gone.

He tried to think about it. Had the explosion from all those years ago messed up his brain or something? It could be since he never really had the chance to test his reflexes until this moment. If they were really gone, his fighting style would change a lot.

He shook his head; that stuff wasn't important at the moment. He had to start moving even though he was still in pain. Ignoring said pain, he got to his feet and staggered forward away from the path. Every step he took hurt his legs, but he didn't have much time to rest. He had to keep going no mater what.

After a few minutes, he looked down and realized that he was knee-deep in a river. He wasted no time in plunging his head into the water and start taking large gulps to quench his thirst. The only reason he stopped drinking was that he had to come up to breathe. Having his fill, he staggered to the other side of the river and collapsed.

He looked pathetic, covered in wet rags, cuts and bruises; no one would recognize him as the nemesis of Geng Wu. He was in absolutely no condition to do anything strenuous for a while, but he just didn't have time.

He got his paws under his chest and tried pushing himself up. His arms wobbled before finally giving away making his chin smack against the ground. He panted for a while before trying again. This time, he managed to stand on his two feet, but as soon as he took a few steps, his legs felt weak and he collapsed once more.

Was this the end for him? Was he just going to lie there and wait for death to take him? Would he just die while Geng Wu was still free to concoct his next plan?

No...he wouldn't allow it.

He placed a paw on his chest feeling the one thing Geng Wu left alone, his LinkStar. He took it out and gazed into it, thinking of her, of how she was in danger right now. Her image in his head gave him the strength to rise once more and continue onward. He took the LinkStar of his neck and wrapped it around his right paw.

He slowly rose to his feet and continued on. Whenever he felt like collapsing once more, he just looked at his LinkStar, and it gave him enough strength to continue, to put one foot in front of the other, to hurry to his home before it was too late...


	36. Chapter 36

_Opening Song: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 36  
>THOUGHTS ON THE FIVE<p>

The thieves didn't show up again the next night, nor the next few days. The residents of the Jade Palace eventually gave up on waiting for them to show up. Maybe they were just trying to scare them when in reality, they sold the scrolls. Long story short, they haven't showed up again ever since.

But Tigress couldn't shake the fact that she saw them before. Their cruel faces and sinister voices seemed ver familiar to her. That gorilla even said that he knew her from before. Just who were they?

Then again, Tigress never really had time to ponder that issue with all the training and protecting the valley and stuff. Why right now, she, along with Po and the rest of the five, was doing just that.

Fung and his goons were up to their usual mischief. This time, the Croc Bandits surrounded a restaurant full of cowering customers. Fung himself was inside laughing as he passed around a sack telling everyone to hand over their valuables while holding a sword to their necks.

One particular cowering pig was stubborn and refused to surrender her jewel-encrusted hair clip, something that annoyed Fung a lot. "C'mon, hand it over!" he yelled angrily bringing the sword closer to her neck.

Before this little exchange could push through, Gahri, who was supposed to be guarding the entrance, showed up. Fung sighed in annoyance. "Bathroom?" he asked. Gahri nodded making Fung face-palm; he didn't know how much longer Gahri would be around with all his antics. "Make it quick." Fung said pointing where the restrooms were. Gahri looked relieved as he headed there.

"Wait a minute, where'd you get that tattoo?" Fung said spotting a weird green mark on Gahri's back. "What is that? A spider?"

"Who're you calling a spider?" Mantis suddenly jumped off Gahri's back hitting Fung in the chest and knocking him back a bit. The other guards in the restaurant surrounded Mantis after that.

Fung got to his feet and smiled evilly (Gahri ran off to the bathroom and never came out). Before he could say anything, the croc next to his suddenly swung his sword at him. Only a well timed block stopped himself from getting hit. That same croc eventually noticed Viper on his head, controlling his every move.

On cue, a bunch of guards came flying out of the entrance and hit the restaurant wall. Fung looked there and saw the rest of the five led by Po. "Alright Fung, gonna do this the hard way like always?" he asked.

The croc leader growled angrily. "Sure, whatever. Get them!"

It was pandemonium in the restaurant. Of course, the safety of the customers was crucial, and the job was left to Crane and Viper. They made sure the customers got out safely while everyone else stuck to the fighting.

Po squared off against Fung while everyone else dealt with his bandits. Fung was as brutish and relentless as ever, but Po knew he could handle him. Fung thrust his sword at Po who side-stepped before hitting Fung with his fist. Fung unfortunately recovered and charged once more.

"You should've stayed down." Po said as he jumped and delivered a spinning kick to the side of Fung's head. Fung smashed into a wall and slid to the ground unconscious. "Now stay down." Po said rather pleased with himself.

The rest of the bandits were defeated, tied up, and hauled away, and the hostages had their valuables returned. With their job done, Po and the five headed back home in good spirits.

"Another day, another round of bandit beating." Po said stretching a bit.

"Yeah, but I wish we could get a break soon." Mantis said. "I mean yesterday, we had those wolf bandits, and more bandits the day before that..." He sighed in annoyance.

"At least we kept everyone safe during each attack." Viper added. "I wish bandits would just stop showing up and terrorizing the valley."

"Hey now, even if they keep showing up, as long as we keep kicking butt, everything'll be fine." Po replied. "I mean all we need to keep this place is a little...HEEE YAHHH!" He punched to the side but ended up hitting the side of a building. He gasped in pain and started sucking on his aching fingers.

The others laughed while Tigress only smiled. The panda was just as naive and childish as ever, but he was a good warrior who had a heart of gold. With his joking attitude and antics, he kinda reminded her of Lin. Of course, Lin was always more mature than Po to her.

The five of them, Shifu, they were her life now. Lin may be gone forever, but she was sure he was happy wherever he was, with her current life. Yeah, she wasn't the Dragon Warrior like he thought she would, but she doubted that he would get upset about it.

His death really changed her back to her old, silent, serious self. Then the rest of the five and Po showed up and brought back the Misha in her. She became a lot less serious, but of course, she still had a "tough-as-nails" image to keep up.

She did care about all of them. It hurt her a lot when she learned that Oogway was gone before she could thank him for all the training and wisdom he shared to her; of the six of them, she knew him the longest. And then she thought Po had died which also spelled despair for her.

After Lin's death, she didn't want anyone she cared about to die. She kept her promise to Lin even years after he died. She looked over to her friends who were still laughing at Po's recovery; she really would protect them even at the cost of her life.

"Uh, Tigress? What're you staring at?" Crane asked noticing her staring at the group.

"What? Oh er...nothing." she hastily replied. Luckily, none of the others noticed which was an enormous relief to her.

* * *

><p>Eventually, the group made it back home, and Tigress went to bed.<p>

She usually dreamed about other trivial things, but Lin always seemed to weave his way into them every now and then. Sometimes, it would be a time when they were cubs; other times, it was when he was at the Jade Palace.

In this particular one, they were sparring. Neither of them were holding back. Tigress had blocked Lin's punch and shoved him back. She charged in and did a flying kick; Lin backed up a little before grabbing her ankles and spinning her in mid-air. He then grabbed her ankle once more and threw her aside.

Tigress landed on her feet and sprung at him with her paws withdrawn. Lin knew what was coming and hastily crossed his arms over his body; Tigress's paws slammed right into him. Though the impact was weakened, Lin felt himself be pushed back by a few feet. Tigress was about to pull back and sweep him off his feet when Lin smirked and kissed her nose.

"I think that's enough for today." Lin said pulling back a bit.

"That's unfair. You knew I was about to pull back and strike again." Tigress told him a little annoyed.

Lin just laughed. "You're right. Look, I'm sorry about that." He extended his paw to her. "Why don't I make it up somehow? Say dinner out?"

Tigress smirked at his offer. "Well you should ask Master Oogway; it is easier to get permission from him."

"True, true." Lin said nodding in agreement. "I'll be back before you know it."

Before Lin could leave, a loud thump echoed across the room. "Did you hear that?" Tigress asked. Lin however seemed to have frozen in place which made Tigress worry. "Lin?"

Tigress woke up realizing that it was all just a dream. But then, she heard that same thump once more. She raised her head and listened; someone was outside her room, trying to sneak into the barracks.

All of her battle instincts kicked in, and she readied herself to fight if needed. Just who would dare to sneak into the barracks of the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior. The footsteps stopped in front of her door; Tigress got up and grabbed the door. She hastily slid it open while keeping a fist up ready to strike at any given time.

"Heh...Told you I'd be back." Lin said before collapsing at her feet.

* * *

><p>It took Tigress five seconds to get over the shock of what just happened. The stranger was lying at her feet covered in rags, cuts and bruises, his breath slow and heavy. She looked over to his head and saw a face she hadn't seen in over 20 years.<p>

It took her another several seconds to find her voice. "L...Lin...?" she whispered.

On the ground, he raised his head, opened his eyes and gave her a weak smile. "Better late...than never huh?" After that, he grunted and closed his eyes, his head hitting the floor.

With that Tigress got over it and addressed that broken and exhausted Lin before her. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him a little. "Lin?" she called out, but he only groaned in pain. She continued to shake him scared that he wouldn't die on her again. "Lin! Wake up; Lin!"

His face contorted in pain. "Get...masters...hurry..." he said before slumping over; his breath was slower and weaker now which started to make Tigress panic.

"No...no. Don't you die on me again." she said shaking him some more. He didn't respond. "No...No! Lin! Wake up!"

She heard sounds of annoyance from the rooms around her. "Hey, some guys're trying to sleep here!" Mantis yelled from within his room. He poked his head out of his room. "Tigress, what're you- Whoa!" He yelled at the sight of Lin. The others looked out of their room and made similar reactions at the fallen Lin. Tigress knew he needed help fast.

"Mantis, Viper, get the medical supplies. Crane, Monkey, get Master Shifu. Po, help with him." she ordered. Judging by the look on her face and the tone of their voice, the others decided that explanations could wait. For now, everyone else but Po ran off to do what they were told.

Po went over and grabbed Lin's upper half while Tigress held his legs. Together, they lifted him and carried him into Tigress's room. As they gently laid him on her mat, he groaned and opened his eyes slightly. "Lin, stay with me." Tigress said ripping off the rag on his chest revealing more wounds and bruises.

"Whoa, is he gonna be alright?" Po asked while also wondering who this Lin guy was.

"I hope so." Tigress whispered.

Just then, hurried footsteps were heard. Mantis and Viper arrived with the medical supplies; at the same time, Crane and monkey showed up with Shifu who stared at Lin not believing his eyes. He slowly entered the room, and Lin smiled weakly.

"Master Shifu...so nice to see you again..." Lin said to him. "Wh-where's Master Oogway...?"

"He...isn't with us anymore..." Shifu said breaking the news to him.

The smile on Lin's face vanished; his eyes gleamed with pain. He suddenly gasped in pain and beckoned Shifu to come closer. The latter did so, and Lin choked out his message.

"Five days after the next full moon...Geng Wu will attack the Valley of Peace..."

After that, he slumped over and seemed to pass out.


	37. Chapter 37

_Opening Song: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 37  
>A LYNX'S RETURN<p>

Tigress began to panic once more after seeing him do that. "Lin! Lin!" she shook his again several times only caring for him and not what he just said. His eyes eventually fluttered open. "Listen, don't worry about that now. Just focus on getting better."

She beckoned Viper and Mantis to come over. They did so and started treating Lin's injuries while everyone watched without speaking. Lin winced as his wounds were being treated and bandaged up, but he remained awake.

"How is he?" Tigress asked.

"Don't worry; he'll live, but his legs are in pretty bad shape; he shouldn't walk for a while." Viper replied which was an enormous relief for Tigress. Viper turn to Lin. "You look more like you haven't eaten, drank or got enough sleep for days."

"I didn't have time." Lin said tiredly. "I had to get here...and warn everyone before it was too late."

"Hang on a sec. That Geng Wu guy you said. Isn't he that warlord that's been going around for years?" Po asked.

"He is." Lin replied.

"And five days after the next full moon, he's gonna show up here and kill everyone in the Valley?"

"That's basically it in a very depressing nutshell I might add."

Po nodded in understanding. He just had one more question. "So uh...Tigress." he began. "Just wondering; who uh...is this guy?"

Everyone else turned towards her. She gulped a bit. "Yes. Everyone, this is Lin...He's my...my..."

Emotion suddenly filled her. It was like she just realized that Lin was alive at that moment. He was there with her once more. Though she had accepted his death all those years ago, the sight of love alive after so many years of thinking he had died was enough to bring her to tears.

"My everything..."

With that, she collapsed on her knees, buried herself in his bandaged chest and began to cry. Lin sat up a bit and hugged her, stroking her back while a few tears of his own fell down. He missed her so much; at that moment, neither of them cared about anything else but being in each other's arms after so many years.

"Uh..." As they shared a very tender moment together, Po and the rest of the five stared at them jaws hanging like their heads were trying to comprehend the scene before them (Like in the movie when Tigress hugged Po). None of them have ever seen Tigress break down in tears like this "Uh..."

They decided to wait a while before saying something on the matter. After about a minute, they eventually parted and wiped each other's tears away. They then turned to everyone else who continued to stare at them.

"So uh...can you guys explain stuff now?" Mantis asked. "Like, from the beginning."

Tigress sighed and got up. "It actually started many many years ago, when I was just a cub..."

With that, she properly introduced them to each other and told them everything from who she really was to when she thought Lin had died. It took several minutes to explain everything but everyone just stayed silent and listened. When she was done, she readied herself of the tirade of questions that were to come. The first question that did come wasn't exactly something she was expecting.

"So uh..." Po said pointing at her and Lin. "Are you guys a...a thing?"

Tigress and Lin both looked at each other. "Yes; I guess you can say that." Lin answered with a shrug.

"I know what you're thinking. Me, fierce, bold, 'tough-as-nails' Tigress, is in love so..." she raised her arms and lowered. "Yes it's true. I have fallen in love, and I've no regrets about it."

She turned to Lin who smiled back at her. "I've known her for years." Lin smirked. "You wouldn't believe the stories I have of her."

"Do tell." Monkey said rather interested in those stories. Judging by the playful smile on Lin's face, Tigress thought those stories might not be something she'd like anyone else to know.

"Oh where to begin...Ah, there was this one time we were playing near my father's forge..."

"Oh no..." Tigress muttered. Oh all stories, he had to say _that_ one. Upon seeing the look on Tigress's face, Po, Mantis and Monkey sat down and listened very interested.

"We played tag and catch and other childish things. Though we played, there were still pieces of hot metal around, and Tigress accidentally hit one leaving a thumb-sized, fur-less patch on her-"

Tigress suddenly shot him a look that made him drop the subject. Nervously, Lin cleared his throat. "Well, I think you get the idea." he said.

"Oh we do alright." Mantis said as he Po and Monkey looked at each other and started laughing. Tigress shot them another dirty look which shut the three of them up.

"I think that's enough story telling for tonight." Shifu said. "Lin, you've been through quite an ordeal tonight. I know your still have much to say, but you need to rest for now. The rest of you can go back to bed." Po got up and bowed to his master.

"Lin, you stay here for tonight." Tigress told him.

"What? No; I don't want to intrude. This is your room after all." he said.

"I insist. I don't mind staying in one of the vacant room for tonight. You need to rest, and I don't want to move you, so stay here."

Lin smiled a bit. "Fine. I guess being the Dragon Warrior give you some sort of authority here right?"

The whole room seemed to freeze at that last sentence. Tigress didn't even look at him; she was hoping that this topic wasn't brought up in front of the others. Everyone else looked from Tigress to Lin.

"You told him you were-"

"I didn't tell him." Tigress said interrupting Po. She hoped none of them jumped to conclusions or anything. "Look, I told Lin it was my dream, and he believed in me, and when he left, he said he believed in me but..."

"Er...I'm sorry; am I missing something here?" Lin asked wondering what Tigress made a big deal about it.

"Uh..." Po scratched the back of his head nervously. "She uh...Tigress...isn't the Dragon Warrior...I am..."

Lin blinked several times before finally understanding. "Wh...I'm sorry; what?"

"Have to go; good night Lin!" Tigress said hurriedly rushing everyone out of the room and slamming the door.

* * *

><p>Alone in one of the vacant rooms, Tigress just stared at the ceiling unable to sleep at all. The others should already be fast asleep which was good for what she was considering doing. She knew Lin was tired and needed his rest, but she thought he was dead for over 20 years. It wouldn't hurt to have some alone time with him right?<p>

She wanted to avoid the whole Dragon Warrior topic as much as possible, but he figured it had to come out eventually. Honestly, when Po was picked as the Dragon Warrior, she was obviously really pissed off at first, since Lin believed it her destiny and all that.

But then she was what he did. Defeating Tai Lung and Shen? She couldn't have done those herself. Po proved to everyone, to her, that he was indeed a great Dragon Warrior. She did her best and was also something great; surely Lin would be proud of that.

So, she slowly crept out of the vacant room, and tip-toes over to hers where Lin was staying. She quietly slid the door open and stepped in. After sliding it shut, she looked at him apparently asleep. His right foot was propped up on a stool which really didn't seem necessary. She then noticed that his right paw was clenched tightly around something. Upon further inspection, she found out that it was his half of his LinkStar. It was slightly tarnished, dirty and almost out of shape, just like its owner.

"I had a feeling you'd sneak in here." Lin said startling Tigress a bit. He smiled at her reaction.

"I thought you were asleep." She placed a paw on her chest. Lin stared at her a bit and sat up. Tigress walked over and sat down on his right. She opened his right paw and took out her own half of the LinkStar and connected the two, reuniting themselves with their missing halves, just like their owners.

"I see you've made some good friends." Lin told her. "It's nice to know that you were in good hands while I was gone; they do all seem like nice people."

"They are." Tigress replied. "Viper's like a mother to us all, but even she's dangerous when angry. Crane's alright; well, he doesn't get on my nerves like the other guys. Mantis and Monkey have many antics, but they're still good at heart, and Po...he may be annoying at times, but he's a good warrior and a good friend. Believe me, you haven't had noodles until you've tried his."

"I'll look forward to it." Lin said smiling. After a while, his smile lessened a bit. "So Po, is he..."

Tigress thought up an explanation. "He is. Lin, I'm-"

"Look, I'm sorry Tigress." Lin said cutting her off. "I never should've done that in the first place." He looked away from her. "Please don't get me wrong; I did believe in you, but was I to decide your destiny? Destiny is something we discover ourselves, not something pushed upon us by someone else. I'm truly sorry for-"

He suddenly stopped at the sound of laughter. He turned and saw Tigress smiling and laughing as if he said something funny. He didn't know what he said that made her laugh, until he held his paw in hers.

"Oh Lin, you haven't changed one bit." she said. "You still apologize and find some way to blame this all on yourself. Lin you don't have to apologize for anything."

Lin paused for a while and smiled back. "You were just a young pretty teen when I left. Now, you grown into a beautiful woman." Tigress turned red a bit. "You haven't changed much as well Tigress." he remarked.

"True; speaking for which" She suddenly dropped the smile. "I have a reputation here."

"Still tough girl of the group?" Lin raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess that's just who you are Tigress. I wouldn't settle for anything else."

"I feel the same Lin. I love you for who you are."

For who he was huh? Lin smiled, but it slowly vanished. Tigress noticed this and wondered what was bothering him. "Misha..."

Judging by his tone and how he used her real name. She could tell that he was being totally serious about this. He hesitated a bit before answering. "Do you think I'm...to nice for my own good?"

"What?" Tigress couldn't believe he was asking such a question. "Lin, what could possibly make you-"

"It was a trap." he told her. He then explained the back-up plan that led to the explosion that injured him 20 years earlier. "This would've all been prevented if I hadn't been so trustful in the first place. Do you know what he did to me? For over 20 years, after he destroys a village, he would force me to look in the eyes of each and every dead body of someone I could've saved."

"Geng Wu believed that those with a spark of decency within them suffer in this world, that only being as cruel and heartless as you can possibly be will keep you alive. Maybe...maybe my kindness will get me killed one of these days..."

"Lin..." She gripped his paw tightly. "How could you say that? Don't tell me you actually agree with him."

"I don't Misha but...what he said really got me thinking."

"No. Listen here, that decency, that good within you, your kindness, your love, those are gifts Lin, the most precious ones you could possibly give to anyone. If Geng Wu is incapable of any of those, then that's his curse. You were hurt because of someone else, not because of your kindness."

"But it-"

"It was abused and taken advantage of by those who didn't have it." Tigress said before he could get anything out. "Tell me, did anything bad ever happen when you regarded me as a friend first even though I didn't feel the same? Did you ever get hurt when you worried about me when you thought something went wrong?"

"Well you did call me a pervert and threw a pillow at me." Both of them laughed at that memory.

Tigress eventually stopped and smiled at him. "Lin, I fell in love with your kindness, with your...everything. I assure you; you won't suffer because of it."

Lin sighed and smiled at her. "You always did know what to say to me. There's a spark of decency within you as well Tigress. Your kindness, your good, your love, I won't let anything or anyone take those away."

He gripped her paw tightly with both of his. "I missed you so much. All those years apart...You don't know what it was like..."

"What matters is that you're here again." Tigress held his cheek. "20 years apart and nothing's changed between us...Don't trouble yourself with what's going to happen, just focus on this single moment."

"Alright. Now why don't i let both of us enjoy it."

With that, he leaned forward and kissed her. They put their arms around each other and pulled themselves close. Neither of them could explain how they felt at that moment. Surely, it was incredible feeling, the other's lips on their after so much time. It was so magical, so heart-warming, so-

Lin suddenly used his right foot to launch the stool into the air before smacking it, sending it crashing into the door. He broke away from the kiss and turned to the door.

"Po! Mantis! Monkey! If you three think that I can't tell that you're spying on us through that tiny crack in the doorway, you're wrong!"

There was the sound of hurried footsteps followed by three doors sliding shut. Lin sighed and shook his head before turning his attention back to Tigress. "Now where were we?" he asked before kissing her once more.


	38. Chapter 38

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 38  
>WEAKNESS<p>

As Shifu made his way to the barracks the next morning, he was thinking about one thing that happened the previous night. Sure, he was glad to see his student once again after 20 years of thinking he was dead, but one thing he said bothered him.

"Five days after the next full moon...Geng Wu will attack the Valley of Peace..."

That was just terrible news. Of course, he had to consult with Lin who had more knowledge on the matter before he could formulate a plan. He wished Lin didn't have to stress himself with this; he was tired and weak and needed his rest, but what choice did he have?

Shifu eventually reached the barracks and waited for the gong to sound which be in about five...four...three...two...one...

GONG!

Instantly, his students appeared in front of their respective rooms alert and greeted him with a: "Good morning master." How ever to their surprise, Lin had shown up in front of Tigress's room to greet his master.

"Lin? What're you doing up?" Tigress asked him.

Everyone stared at him, and he raised an eyebrow. "What? Don't we always do this every morning? Unless of course, it's been changed or something..."

"Lin, you shouldn't be up. You need to rest." Shifu told him.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry master, but I need to regain my strength for the upcoming battle."

"You're still fighting?" Mantis asked surprised since he knew the extent of Lin's injuries. "I mean, you really need to rest. Heck, you shouldn't even be walking."

"I'll be fine. I promise." Lin said. Tigress looked into his eyes and saw some amount of pain. She looked down and saw his legs tremble a little as if he was struggling just to stand. This worried her a lot.

"Well if you think you can manage..." Shifu said thinking.

"Well that's settled then." Lin said as they walked off for breakfast. Tigress followed him from behind thinking that this was a bad idea for him.

Lin smiled as Po laid a steaming bowl of noodles before him. "My first cooked meal in 20 years." He was hungry, but he remembered his manners and ate a little at a time. "This is amazing Po. You do have a talent."

"Thanks. I learned it all from my dad." Po said as he ate as well. Lin continued to eat properly even though every inch of him just wanted to stuff the food down his gullet.

"So what did you hear last night?" Lin asked as he raised his bowl to drink the soup. Po, Mantis and Monkey froze.

"You three spied on them?" Crane asked. The three of them laughed nervously at the question. Lin simply got up and left without a single word. Everyone but the three of them followed leaving them alone with their guilt. Eventually they left to follow their friends.

Shifu met up with them at the Training Hall to give them their instructions. He was still surprised and concerned about Lin going back to training even though he said he'd be fine. "I understand that you're all thinking about the upcoming attack on the Valley." he told them. "A plan to deal with this situation has yet to be formed. Until then, you are to train as you do every day."

They bowed and began their training. Tigress went over to the Jade Tortoise and practiced her stances, giving her an excuse to watch over Lin. He saw him eye the Training Hall and wonder where to go. Hr then thought of something and approached Po.

"Po, would it be alright if you spar against me?" he asked surprising the panda.

"Me?" Lin nodded. Po laughed and cracked his knuckles. "Well then, let's do this."

The invitation attracted everyone else's attention. They all proceeded to the courtyard where Po and Lin took their places. They bowed to each other before assuming their stances.

"So...what's you game." Po said getting ready to fight. "You wanna see the Dragon Warrior in action?"

"Not really. I arms and legs still hurt, so I'd like to practice on something...soft first. No offense." Lin said not taking his eyes off his opponent. This was the perfect time to gauge just how bad his reflexes decreased. Tigress watched the two of them without saying anything.

"Well...I'll just show you just how hard something soft hits!"

Po charged while Lin held his ground. Lin blocked Po's initial punch but had to step back as the panda moved in for a kick. Po continued his assault while Lin just dodged and blocked. He did manage to counter attack every now and then, but he was just being way to defensive.

Tigress noticed this which puzzled her. Normally, Lin would counter immediately after dodging, blocking or deflecting, but he seemed to be taking his time looking for an opening to counter attack. Indeed, though he crossed his arms to block Po's kick, he was powerless to stop the panda from hitting him with his stomach.

Lin was hurled back a bit and crash landed. He quickly got up and side-stepped Po's flying kick, but the latter's foot grazed his right shoulder. With Po's back turned, Lin managed to punch him three times before moving into a leg sweep followed by another kick which knocked Po back a bit.

As Lin landed, he grunted in pain and dropped on one knee; Tigress's eyes widened with worry. His legs were beginning to burn with pain; he almost didn't have the strength to stand.

"Dude, you alright?" Po asked seeing this.

"I'm fine." Lin took a deep breath before standing. His legs trembling slightly, he resumed his stance before charging. Po charged as well and punched; Lin jumped back before rushing in and ramming Po with his shoulder. As Po stumbled, Lin continued his assault by punching his chest then kicking it and punching it again. As he tried kicking again, Po dodged it before doing his own kick which knocked Lin back again.

Lin landed on his feet but not without staggering a little. Seeing his opponent weakened, Po moved in and swung his fist. Lin leaned back to avoid it before countering with a punch. Po blocked with his left arm before punching with his right. Lin managed to catch his arm; he then pivoted on his left foot and smashed his heel into Po's back. He spun around once more and kicked Po's chest.

Grunting from the pain from his legs, Lin moved in. Po managed to recover and punched the oncoming Lin. He narrowly spun around to avoid it and grabbed Po arm. He pulled intending to lift him over his head and slam him on the ground. Unfortunately, when Po was directly above him with his full weight acting on him, Lin felt a sudden powerful jolt of pain that coursed through his legs. He screamed out in pain before his legs gave in causing Po to fall and land right on top of him.

Lin made muffled cries as his arms flailed around. Po just laughed at his attempts. "Who's the soft one now huh?" he said victorious.

"Po!" Tigress yelled as Lin's struggled weakened. Po realized this and quickly apologized before getting off Lin who flipped over and started gasping for air. Tigress ran over and helped him to his feet.

"This has gone far enough Lin. You can't continue on like this." she told him.

"No..." He shook his head. "I can't rest. Not when you and everyone else in the valley is in danger."

"Hey Lin, you should listen to her I mean," Po began. "I was seriously gonna wipe the floor with you. No offense."

"None taken. I don't plan on staying in the sidelines while everyone else is fighting. Didn't you tell me the same thing when I left Tigress?" Lin asked.

"Yes, but this time is different." she replied. "We were both fine and capable of fighting back then. Look at yourself. You can't possibly fight in your condition."

"I guess this would be a bad time to mention that I lost my reflexes to the explosion."

"You what?" Tigress exclaimed. "All the more reason to not fight. You're weak, wounded, and you've lost the one thing that could possibly keep you alive in your current state."

"I just have to work on it. I just need to train some more."

"Lin, you have only five days after the next full moon which could be any time now. You can't regain weeks of training in just five days."

"Well doing so is better than doing nothing Tigress." Lin asserted, his voice slightly raised

"I'd rather see you do nothing than you risking your life." Tigress countered in the same loud tone.

"I won't be risking my life. I promise you Tigress; I'll be fine."

They both just stared at each other not budging an inch. The others looked at the scene not knowing what would happen next. After several moments, Tigress moved to the other end of the courtyard. "If you're so sure you want to continue, then fight me Lin."

"What?" Po asked surprised at her suggestion. "Lin, you can't-"

"Please leave this to me Po." Lin told him. Po reluctantly left to rejoin the others.

"She's not really going to hurt him is she?" Viper asked.

Tigress and Lin both assumed their stances. "She is." Mantis said.

Lin charged at Tigress with his arms crossed over his face. When he was close enough, he aimed a punch at her, but she caught his fist in her paw. He pulled back and kicked but was blocked again. Tigress made a move this time and did a simple punch. Lin managed to block it, but it still hurt and pushed him back a bit.

Tigress didn't give him time to recover and lunged at him. Lin managed to duck under her punch and managed to deliver two punches to her stomach. Lin attempted a leg sweep, but Tigress jumped back. He stood up and grunted a little as his legs began to ache, but he ignored it.

Lin ran and slid between her legs. He pushed off the ground and managed to kick her side. He moved in and delivered three consecutive punches, before Tigress hit him with two of her own. Lin had to jumped back to avoid a third punch. He landed and felt pain coming from his legs again.

Nevertheless, he lunged at her with his fists withdrawn. Tigress saw this and lunged as well, her fists pulled back. At the last second, they thrust their arms forward with all their strength. Her paws slammed against the back of his fists putting the two in a deadlock.

For a moment, they locked eyes with one another. Both of them showed the determination to keep fighting, to prove something to the other. Lin swung his arms outward, knocking Tigress's out of the way and giving him the opportunity to strike.

His kicked knocked her back. She blocked his next few punches before delivering her own punch. Lin crossed his arms over his face and just took the blows. Several blows later, she managed to break his defenses. Thinking fast, Lin smashed his elbow into her chest. Tigress, knowing what was to follow, ducked his backhand.

Lin ducked as well as her fist sailed over him. He then punched twice; Tigress dodged the first one and blocked the second with her left arm. She swung her arm upward hitting Lin's chin and forcing him to look up. Now wide open, Lin couldn't stop Tigress from delivering a powerful blow to his chest.

She saw him get knocked back by several feet. As he stumbled, she charged in wanting to end this fight with this last blow. At the last second, she aimed her fist right for his chest.

Even without his reflexes, Lin was expecting the blow. Before she could hit him, he pivoted on his left foot and hit Tigress's right leg with his heel. She stumbled for a bit which was enough time for Lin. With what little strength he had left, he swung his fist and gave Tigress a powerful uppercut.

The force of the uppercut actually knocked Tigress into the air a bit. After a while, she hit the ground hard and laid there panting for a while. Lin, whose legs hurt so much, his eyes began to water slightly, dropped to one knee.

Po and the others watched them in awe and worry. Shifu then showed up and eyed the two fallen warriors with worry. "Tigress...Lin..."

"What..." Tigress said slowly rising to her feet, still feeling the pain from the fight. "What will it take...what do I have to do...to make you see...?"

Lin slowly looked up at her. "I'm sorry Tigress...but no one can change my decision..."

The two of them stared at each other for several more seconds until Tigress made her way towards him. Lin readied his exhausted and beaten body to block or dodged whatever she did to him. But he was cause by surprise as she tackled him and brought him down.

They looked into each others eyes was she pinned him to the ground. "I nearly went insane again." Tigress told Lin. "When I thought you died, the pain almost broke me...I almost became that screaming, thrashing girl who saw her parents die in front of her...If you die this time..." Her arms trembled, and her voice shook. "...I don't think I'd be able to take it..."

"...Tigress..." Was all Lin could say.

"...You'll die if you fight in your current state..." Her voice still trembled. "You'd break me if you died...Don't you care about me...don't you care...about what I'd feel...?"

"Tigress...I...I don't..." Lin didn't finish. Tigress got off him, made her way past the surprised faces of her master and friends.

"Tigress-"

"I need some air." she said without looking at her master. She then walked off on her own. With her gone, all eyes turned to Lin who was still lying on the ground unsure of what to do, say or think.


	39. Chapter 39

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 39  
>NEW FAMILY<p>

Lin heard footsteps and looking up seeing his master approach him with a worried look. "Lin...perhaps you've done enough for today..."

"But master I..." Lin began as he stood up, but he grunted from the pain on his legs. "I want to train...I want to fight..."

"I understand your willingness Lin, but do you honestly think you can handle it?" Shifu asked.

Lin opened his mouth to speak, but he was unable to say anything. He did want to fight and protect everyone in the valley despite what his body told him. Shifu turned away. "Lin...Please get some rest at least for the rest of the morning."

Lin wanted to protest, but his legs began to tremble as if they liked the idea of resting. He sighed and gave a weak bow to his master before slowly making his way back to the barracks. Shifu sighed one last time before walking off on his own.

"Guys...we gotta do something about this." Po told the group.

"About what? Lin working himself to death?" Crane asked.

"No...I mean, yeah that is something pretty bad..." Po shook his head. "I'm talking about the whole Tigress-Lin thing. We gotta get those two back together."

"Po's right; they looked so happy together. You should've seen them last night." Monkey added. "Besides, don't you guys know how hard it is to get Tigress to smile or laugh. Lin did it without even trying."

"And she complimented us; she's never done that before." Mantis added.

"Yeah but, what can we do?" Viper asked. "After what just happened, I don't think they'll be talking to each other for a while."

"Maybe some of us could just...y'know, talk to them." Po suggested. "Maybe we could talk some sense into 'em."

"But how can we get them along?" Crane asked. "They can't both be right."

Po did some thinking. "Huh...I got it. Lin want to fight and protect everyone right? And tigress doesn't want him to fight 'cause she thinks he'll get killed. Maybe we can toughen Lin up so that Tigress won't worry about him when he fights."

"But Lin's a wreck; he can't train in his condition." Monkey said.

Mantis snapped his fingers (or pincers). "I got just the thing that might help Lin out. Besides, he's having girl trouble. And out of us, I got the most girl experience."

"Yeah because those experiences turned out well." Mantis rolled his eyes at Crane's sarcasm and left to get Lin.

"I'll go get Tigress. She's probably down at the village. You guys just...cover for us." Viper said slithering off to the village. The rest of the guys went back to their training before Shifu could show up.

* * *

><p>Lin was lying on a mat inside a vacant room trying to get some rest for his weary body. He heard a knock on the door and raised his head wondering if it was Tigress. "Come in." he said.<p>

To his disappointment, it was Mantis who entered. Lin sat up on his mat. "Mantis? Shouldn't you be training?"

"Ah, I can afford missing out one morning." Mantis replies with a casual wave of his pincer. "More importantly, are you doing alright?"

Lin sighed as he rubbed his chest. "I'm a little better now. Po and Tigress gave me quite the beating, but I think I'll be fine by lunch. I could use that to build up some strength."

"Yeah that's a good idea." Mantis said agreeing with Lin. The latter smiled but then frowned and turned away from Mantis.

"Tigress wouldn't think it would be a good idea." Seeing him sad, Mantis hopped up on his shoulder.

"Girl trouble huh?"

"You have no idea."

"Actually, I kinda do." Mantis said surprising Lin a bit. "Lin, I've got lots of girl experience, so I know something about this."

"So that makes you 'ladies-man Mantis' huh?" Both of them laughed at that.

"Kinda does. Look, I can tell that Tigress really cares about you." Mantis told him. "She doesn't want you hurt or anything."

"But Mantis, I want to protect the valley; it's my home now. I has been ever since I first came here." He sighed and shook his head. "I do care about her and her feelings, but I care about my home as well. What can I possibly do?"

"Hey, I'm not gonna take sides here. Besides, we got it covered. Me and the rest us are gonna whip you into shape. That way, you get strong enough to fight of Geng Wu, and tigress doesn't have to worry about you getting killed or anything. Well it was Po's idea actually."

"Well you have a lot of work to do then. If our fight had continued, Tigress would've beaten me." Lin said. "Also, my legs are still painful."

He rubbed his legs as they started to ache again. "Hey Lin, why don't you have these." Mantis said taking out two needles and placing them in Lin's paws.

"Acupuncture needles?" Lin asked.

"Yeah." Mantis hopped on Lin's right knee. "There're some nerves on your leg here and here." He pointed at a spot on the sides of both of Lin's knees. "Just stick these two there whenever you're on break, and it should help with the pain. But...it's still a lot better if you avoid walking for a while."

Lin looked from the needles to Mantis who just grinned at him. "Anyway, you get some rest 'k?" Mantis headed over to the door. "I'll call you up when lunch's ready."

"Hey Mantis," Lin said as the latter slid the door open. Lin smiled. "Thanks."

Mantis just smiled and gave a small chuckle before leaving. Lin did what he instructed and stuck the needles in the spots Mantis indicated. Instantly, the pain lessened; it wasn't gone completely, but it was a lot easier to handle. He sighed and laid down on his mat and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>Mantis did wake him up for lunch. To his disappointment, Tigress wasn't at the table when he arrived. He sighed as he sat but cheered up a bit as Po passed a bowl of noodles in front of him. Lin looked at Po who smiled and patted his back before sitting down with his own bowl.<p>

"Tigress is down by the village Lin; I talked to her, but she said she still needed some alone time." Viper told him.

"I see..." he said after a little pause. The others could tell that he was still a little depressed about the whole fight they had.

"But don't worry 'bout that Lin." "Po said with a mouth full of noodles. "We're gonna help whip you into shape." He playfully punched Lin in the arm.

Lin blinked several times in surprise. "We're gonna help you out Lin. We're fighting too." Monkey said indicating the group.

Lin gazed at all of them, in wonder. They had only known each other the previous night, and yet, here they are willing to help him train. "I don't..." He hesitated a bit as he looked into his bowl. "I mean, why? I appreciate it, but why? I haven't done anything to deserve your kindness."

"Who said you had to do something? You care about this valley don't you Lin?" Crane told him. "We care about it too, and everyone in it which includes you. We'd love to help you and have you fight by our side Lin."

Smiling, Po raised up his cup. "You're with us now. Welcome to the family Lin."

Speechless, Lin stared at all of them. They were still almost strangers to each other, but he already felt a connection to them. They took him in without asking anything in return. He now knew that he had something else to protect along with the valley, these people, his new friends...his new family.

"Hey, you OK?" Po asked as Lin remained silent. Lin closed his eyes and felt a single tear drop into his bowl. He laughed a little and wiped his face before raising up his bowl.

"I'm fine; in fact, I think this could be a new recipe for you Po." he said indicating his bowl. "It's secret ingredient- a tear from a touched lynx who hasn't felt the warmth of family in years."

Po and the others smiled at what Lin had said. He raised his own bowl and clinked it against Lin. Together, the two of them drank down its delicious broth already feeling like they were a family.


	40. Chapter 40

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 40  
>BACK TO TRAINING<p>

Lin gulped nervously as he stood before the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors, the one place to train if he wanted to work on his reflexes. Seeing him nervous, Mantis hopped on one of the spinning clubs. "Ready for this Lin?" he asked.

Lin took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." Mantis struck one of the clubs causing the whole gauntlet to spin into life. He hopped off and stood to the side as Lin readied himself. After another deep breath, he took the plunge.

He didn't forget his style nor any of its forms; the only problem was his reflexes and the strain being placed on his body. He did manage to block several blows with his arms and legs, but every now and then, he would get hit painfully. He would growl in pain whenever that would happen.

Amazingly, he made it out; it wasn't exactly a record time, but it was good enough for him. As he stood panting for a while, Mantis approached him. "You OK? You still wanna have a go?" he asked worriedly.

Lin rested for about half a minute before straightening up. He turned around and dove into the gauntlet once more. "That's it; focus Lin!" Mantis encouraged as he made his way through the course. His performance this time around was the same as the previous one.

"Lin looks like he's doing fine." Viper observed as she dodged flames on the Fields of Fiery Death.

"That means we just gotta train harder." Po said as he navigated the Swinging Clubs. Determined to work as hard as Lin did, everyone else doubled their efforts.

Lin remained focused as he continued on in the gauntlet with Mantis yelling at him to keep going. Every block to him was a sign of improvement, and every hit, a setback. He doubted his reflexes would go back to how they were before the explosion took them away, but improving them was still better than nothing.

A few rounds later, he stumbled out of the gauntlet and collapsed on all fours, his legs aching again. The others saw this, but he held up his paw. He flipped over and took out the two needles Mantis gave him. He stuck them in the right place and sighed as the pain lessened. He gave everyone a thumbs up before taking a minute-long break.

After resting, he took the needles out and got on his feet. He looked around and headed over to the Seven Talon Rings. He jumped up and grabbed the one overhead and started doing pull-ups to work on his strength. At that moment, Shifu happened to walk in on him.

Though he did respect Lin's decision to fight and protect the valley. He, like Tigress, was also concerned about his condition. "There's no need to worry master." Lin said a bit tired.

"Are you sure?" his master asked.

Lin nodded and Shifu left. Monkey, who was also on the talons, decided to help Lin out. "C'mon Lin, I bet you can't get to me." he said scampering off. Taking the challenge, Lin reached over and grabbed another ring and made his way to where Monkey was.

Then, his paw slipped leaving him hanging by one paw. He tried pulling himself up, but his other paw slipped; he braced himself for the fall, but felt something grab his wrist,stopping him. He looked up and saw Monkey dangling from a ring with his tail, while his hands held Lin up. He swung him over to another ring where he tapped monkey on the forehead.

"Got you Monkey." the latter just smirked and swung off.

"I bet you can't do it again." he called, and Lin followed him.

A few minutes after that...

"Left! Right! Behind you! Right!" Viper yelled as Lin dodged flames erupting from the ground. His legs began to act up from the constant movement, but he didn't stop. He jumped forward to avoid a flame from grazing his back, but as he landed, his legs jolted with pain. He dropped down on one knee and heard flames roar from under his face.

"Look out!" Her shout snapped him back to reality; he quickly jumped off the course before he could get burnt. As he panted, Viper approached him.

"Are you OK? You legs, do they still hurt?" she asked nodded and stood up. She faced the fields with him. "Your reflexes are starting to get a bit better, but your stamina's dropping a bit. Sometimes, you only need to move just one part to dodge the flames."

"Thank you for the tip." Lin said before they jumped back on the fields together.

After several more trials...

Lin was trying to keep a straight face as his legs were apart on the Jade Tortoise. For a moment, he was all peaceful while practicing a few strikes. His peace was broken when Crane flew in to strike. Lin deflected his wing causing the bowl to tilt over a bit.

Crane struck the side of the bowl; as it tilted, Lin jumped off it and landed on its rim; Crane landed as well to balance the large bowl out. Lin struck first, but Crane almost effortlessly deflected his punch before striking him with his wing. Lin managed to block the attack before countering with a kick, but Crane took to the air to avoid it. Lin smirked as he readied himself for another round.

After that...

Lin was relentlessly taking out wooden dummies he had set up. As he did, Po shouted out words of encouragement. "C'mon hit those things harder!" he yelled as Lin kicked a dummy aside and moved on to another. "Think of those things as Geng Wu! What did he do?"

"He took my father." Lin smashed his fist into a dummy.

"What else?"

"My mother!" He dealt an elbow strike. "My brother! My sister! My home!" He punched the dummy repeatedly. "I won't...let him...take anyone else...ever again!"

He ended his sentence with a kick that smashed the dummy to pieces. He stood there panting from the exhaustion and the emotional pain he felt at remembering his family's deaths. The then felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Po giving him a comforting smile. Lin smiled back and went back to smashing dummies.

Later that evening...

Thanks to everyone's support, Lin managed to survive the rest of the training that day. He was tired and couldn't wait to eat and sleep. He was about to leave with everyone else to eat, but Viper stopped him. "Uh Lin, Tigress just arrived; she said she'd like a word with you."

Lin, as well as the others who heard this, stopped in their tracks. "She said that she's at Peach Tree Hill." Viper continued. Lin looked at the others.

"Go for it man. She's calling for you." Po told him.

"I know , but...I don't know what to tell her." Lin said nervously. "I don't want to get into another fight with her, verbal or physical."

"Just be honest; I don't she'd wanna hurt you too." Mantis told him.

"Honest...honest..." He took a deep breath. "Wish me luck." he said before running off. "And no spying!" he added making Viper glare disappointingly at Po, Mantis and Monkey.

* * *

><p>The night was dark and cloudy; there wasn't any wind either when Lin arrived at Peach Tree Hill. Tigress was already there holding something in her arms. Lin approached her, but neither of them spoke for quite some time.<p>

"Er...Hello Tigress." Lin said unsure of himself. "How was your time village?"

"It was...not that eventful." she told him. "I er...bought you something."

Lin raised an eyebrow as he was handed what she was holding. It was a sack, and in it were clothes. Not just any clothes, but bigger sizes of the very same clothes she bought him all those years ago. "I figured you'd like it more if you didn't have to walk around in those rags anymore."

Lin smiled a bit before putting the clothes away. "That's really thoughtful of you Tigress; thank you."

After that, there was more silence between them. Lin decided to break it. "Look, about a while ago-"

"I love you Lin." she said cutting him off. She sighed. "I've already lost so much in my life, and I can't bear to lose anyone else. You, Shifu, Po and the others, you're all I have left."

Lin put a paw on her shoulder, and she looked up at him. "Misha, I understand how you feel. I've already connected with everyone here; they're as precious to me as they are to you. I'd gladly risk my life for them."

That was exactly what bothered her. "I do care about your feelings; if I've ever done or said anything that made you think that, them I'm sorry."

"No; I should be sorry." Tigress said. "I...It was selfish of me to want you not to fight for my sake. This valley needs you, needs all of us, to protect it when Geng Wu arrives. And if you're going to fight in your condition, then I'll stand by your side the whole time."

That was enough to make Lin smile. "But Lin, you have to promise me something."

"Anything Tigress; just name it."

Tigress sighed; she took Lin's paw in her own and clenched it tightly. "I want you...to promise that you won't get yourself killed. I...don't know if I could bear it..."

Lin, seeing her troubled, placed his own paw over hers. "I won't get myself killed; I promise you. If I do break that promise, then you can drag me back from the grave so you could kill me again."

Tigress laughed for exactly three seconds before looking at him seriously which made Lin gulp and laugh nervously. "Well...you don't need to worry; I've been training the whole afternoon with the others' help."

"Well then I'll be helping you starting tomorrow." Tigress told him. "I'm actually going to help you keep your promise. I'll help you protect everyone Lin."

She looked up and gazed into those dark yellow eyes of his. He smiled softly as he gazed into hers. For a while, they just stared at each other, before moving in for a kiss. When their lips were just a fraction of an inch apart, a cloud moved bathing the area in moonlight, a little too much moonlight.

Tigress and Lin noticed then and looked at each other seeing their own fear in the other's faces. Together, they looked up towards the sky and were met by a beautiful full moon. It would've made the night more lovely if it weren't an omen of what was to come.

Neither of them spoke nor looked at each other. Slowly and silently, they held the other's paw tightly as if they were already bracing themselves for the ordeal they would have to face.


	41. Chapter 41

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAH! 100 REVIEWS! THANKS GUYS!

* * *

><p><em>Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru<em>

CHAPTER 41  
>PLAN OF COUNTER ATTACK<p>

Everyone saw the full moon that night, an omen of what was to come. After gazing at the moon for a while, Lin turned and bolted for the palace with Tigress running after him. He eventually reached the Hall of Warriors where Shifu and the rest were.

"Quickly Zeng, you must get word out immediately. Evacuate the Valley." Shifu told the palace goose. Zeng bowed before taking off to warn the valley. To everyone's surprise, Lin ran after him.

"No Zeng! Wait!" he shouted.

"What?" Zeng asked turning his head causing him to collide with a pillar and slide down to the floor. Confused, everyone turned to Lin, who turned to his master.

"We can't evacuate the valley." he told them much to their shock.

"What; are you crazy? Geng Wu's gonna show here in five days. We gotta get everyone out." Po told him.

"It doesn't work that way with Geng Wu." Lin told them. "If we evacuate now, he'll attack now!"

The others stared at him wide-eyed taking in the shock of what he just said. Lin felt tense as well, but he calmed down a bit so he could explain. "I need a map of the valley." he told them.

They decided to trust him on this since he knew how Geng Wu operated more than any of them. I a matter of minutes, a table with a map of the valley was before him. They gathered around it.

"As of right now, Geng Wu's main forces have occupied the areas surrounding the valley and have hidden themselves." he said indicating said area. "In five days, they'll converge and lay waste to the valley."

They began to understand what he meant. "So even, if we evacuate, we'll just end up meeting his forces." Crane concluded.

Lin nodded grimly. "It would take to long to find all of them and, it's not just that; if we attack them, then they attack on that same day." The others continued to look stunned. ". Geng Wu's main forces may be surrounding the valley, but he still has spies staying here." He pointed at the towns and villages inside the valley. "It would take too long to find all of them as well. As soon as these spies receive word about any evacuation or any attempt to stop the invasion, they just send a messenger hawk to their master who will attack immediately."

"We could call the imperial army." Mantis suggested.

"They'd have to march through Geng Wu's forces to get here." Lin replied. "He'd know that they would only come to stop him. The best time to call them would be on the day of the attack itself."

Lin sighed deeply and looked grimly up at them. "Like it or not...Geng Wu will attack the Valley of Peace."

Everyone looked at each other with concern on their faces. Only Tigress managed to remain focused on what had to be done. "But, you know how to stop him right Lin? You've done so before; surely you can do it again." she told him.

"Geng Wu's smart. He must already know I'm here in order to protect the valley." Lin said thinking. "If he succeeds, then he'll most likely force me to watch him kill everyone, then all of you, and then kill me once and for all."

"He'll succeed over my dead body." Tigress said fiercely.

"Yeah; I'm not gonna let him just stroll in here and kill everyone; I say we take him out here and now." Po said earning agreement from the others. Even Lin seemed to agree with him.

"I have all of you now fighting with me." he said looking up at all of them. "If we all fight together, then surely, we can end Geng Wu's reign of terror for good."

"In that case, we'll need to know how Geng Wu executes his invasions so we may counter it." Shifu said.

"Yes; if anyone here knows Gegn Wu, it's me." Lin said pointing at himself. "You see, Geng Wu isn't just cold and heartless, he's also actually quite cunning and intelligent, always able to formulate intricate plan which he put into action swiftly and with good results to him."

"Like his plant to get rid of you." Monkey told him.

Lin coughed and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Yes well...The point is, he's also a perfectionist; whenever he invades, I simply have to stop one part of the invasion, and he calls the whole thing off. Unfortunately, that part I do need to interfere with is crucial."

"As soon as the attack begins, he lines up catapults around the target area and fires flaming loads to weaken the defenses. That alone kills many." He pointed at areas around the valley. "While that happens, his troops form a perimeter around the target area; they don't kill anyone yet, but they wouldn't let anyone get out either."

"After that is the crucial part I mentioned." Lin traced a line from the village entrance to the Jade Palace. "Around 50 of Geng Wu's toughest warriors enter the area and secure a path to the main building of the area which in this case, is the Jade Palace. Once a path has been cleared, Geng Wu himself enters and, with a path secured, makes his way to the main building and razes it to the ground. Once that happens, he lets out a loud cry...and the slaughtering begins."

For a while, the others just sat there looking at the map trying to take in the complexity of the plan. If it did succeed, everyone in the valley would die. "The key here is to stop that group from clearing a path." Lin said. That's what I do during each attack. Once this part has been foiled, Geng Wu calls off the attack, and the valley is spared."

"Wait, so you don't really take on his entire army?" Tigress asked.

"What? No; even that's too much for me to handle." Lin told her. "With all of you by my side, I guess we could take on the entire army. But Geng Wu is my fight." he finished with a serious tone.

"Lin..." Tigress began, but he didn't let her finish.

"Look everyone, I'm not trying to be selfish here; I don't want to see any of you hurt." he told them. "Geng Wu is my opponent, my nemesis. I won't drag any of you into my fight."

He sighed and looked down at the map hoping that they'd understand what he was trying to tell them. "Then we'll drag ourselves in." Tigress said making him look up. She crossed her arms. "Like it or not, I'm going to take Geng Wu on with you."

"Tigress is right Lin; you're not exactly in the right condition to take him all on your own. You're not alone in all of this; we've got your back." Viper told him.

Lin just looked at them and saw the same resolve to fight Geng Wu himself in their eyes. Although he was touched by their willingness to fight with him, he was again concerned for their safety. He tried putting the equation in his head. They were 6 Kung Fu masters, the Dragon Warrior and a weaken lynx against the most blood thirsty warlord in China's history and his army.

Maybe they did stand a chance.

"Alright fine." he said to them. "But Geng Wu won't be easy to take down on our own even without his army."

"Aw I think we can take him." Po said cracking his knuckles. "Everyone else here's a Kung Fu master; what's Geng Wu got under his belt?"

Lin held his chin in thought. "Honestly, I've never actually seen him in a fight, so I don't know his exact style. All I know is that he's a master swordsman that trained with the samurais of Japan. He's a wolf, around 6'5'', and carries a sword that's as long as he is tall, a sword that cuts through flesh and bone as if it were air."

"Whoa...that's uh...pretty bad." Po said cringing a little.

"Geng Wu has one last ability up his sleeve: the Glare of Hate." Lin continued. "Anyone who makes eye contact with him is suddenly filled with burning fury and hate. I've heard rumors that it can actually induce madness when done for long durations of time, but after experiencing the glare itself, I'm actually starting to believe those rumors."

"If we must fight without gazing into his eyes, we would need a new training routine." Shifu said deep in thought. "We would have five days to adjust our styles to avoid Geng Wu's glare. We'll need all the training we can get."

"Not only that; we'll need a plan to get to Geng Wu after taking out his forces." Lin said doing some thinking.

"Those catapults are wrecking the city right? Maybe some of us can take 'em out." Mantis suggested.

"And some of us could help get the villagers to safety while all that's happening. Geng Wu's attacking already, so taking them somewhere safe shouldn't be a problem." Viper added.

"If all else fails, I could remain here in the palace and protect it from being destroyed." Shifu said.

Lin smiled at their willingness to help. It made him confident and believe that everything would turn out great. "Alright everyone, here's the plan..."

* * *

><p>It took a while to get a good plan out. They spent a about an hour and a half putting together a plan to stop the invasion and defeat Geng Wu. By the time they were done, they were all sleepy; Shifu said their new training could wait until the next morning.<p>

While on the way back to his room, Lin was still thinking about the plan and wondered if they could really take Geng Wu down once and for all. "Are you alright Lin?" Tigress asked him worriedly.

He turned to her. "I still have doubts Tigress." he admitted. "My last plan to defeat Geng Wu was botched; I've a feeling the same will happen here."

"Things were different back them." Tigress said placing a paw on his back. "You were by yourself back then. Now, you have me and the rest of us, and we won't let this plan fail."

Lin smiled a bit and looked outside towards the full moon. "You've done enough tonight Lin. You need your rest for whatever will happen tomorrow."

He sighed. "I suppose you're right." He turned and gave her a kiss. "Good night Tigress."

He slowly made his way to his room and laid down still thinking about his plan. Hoping for a dreamless night, he slowly closed his eyes and was instantly asleep.


	42. Chapter 42

Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru

CHAPTER 42  
>TO PROTECT THE SPARK<p>

4 days until the Geng Wu attack...

Everyone got a little surprised when the morning gong sounded. When Lin stepped out of his room to greet Shifu, he was wearing the clothes Tigress bought him. The others said that it was a nice to look at before leaving to eat and train.

It was a bit difficult for everyone to adjust their styles to avoid looking into their opponent's eyes. The first two to try this out were Monkey and Tigress with Monkey was the one fighting Geng Wu since Tigress was the taller one. They found that it was the safest to look at their opponent's arms and legs to make evading attacks easier, but it was still a difficult thing to do.

Monkey still found himself looking too high up as he sparred against Tigress. As he jumped and tried to kick her face, he closed his eyes hoping to avoid eye contact. This was a big mistake as he didn't see her duck under him and countered with a punch that sent him flying.

Shifu sighed disappointingly as Monkey picked himself back up. "This's a lot harder than it looks." Po commented.

"We're all so used to looking at our opponents directly when we fight." Lin added. "Can we really adjust ourselves in just four days?"

"We have no choice but to." Shifu said. "Lin, you and Crane are next."

The two of them nodded at each other before taking their places on the courtyard. After bowing and assuming their stances, Crane's gaze dropped to Lin's arms and legs, while he did the same. That was easy standing still, but everything would change during the heat of the battle.

"Begin!"

Lin ran at Crane who stood his ground. The latter deflected Lin's kick while using his wing to shield his face from him. Lin managed to block Crane's counter attack while keeping his eyes on his body. This was really a lot more difficult than it looked.

Lin managed to land a kick on Crane forcing him to back off. Lin then ducked as Crane's wing soared over him and attempted a punch, but Crane's other wing managed to deflect it upwards. Unfortunately, this caused the two of them to make eye contact for a split second. While Lin growled in frustration, Crane managed to hit him with the back of his wing and knock him back a few feet.

"I thought I could use my wings to help cover your face." Crane told him.

"A good idea, but we still end up making eye contact during the heat of battle." Lin said assuming his stance.

Lin ran and, and Crane flew over his kick. Lin spun backwards, but Crane blocked his kick. Lin then countered with a punch which Crane deflected before striking the side of his head with his wing. Crane then placed his other wing on Lin and threw him a few feet away.

Lin recovered from the throw and charged again, his eyes on Crane's chest. Crane swung his wing at him, but Lin managed to block the block and coutner with three consecutive punches followed by a jump and a spinning backhand. As he landed, he grunted as pain in his legs began to build up again. He looked up at Crane heading towards him and accidentally made eye contact again. He jumped sideways to avoid Crane rushing at him.

"This is getting nowhere." Tigress said watching the fight. "We keep having that tendency to look directly at our opponents in the heat of battle."

Shifu sighed once more and shook his head, his students staring at him. "Everyone just...resume your regular training. We will resume the special training in the afternoon."

His students bowed and did just that except for Lin who sat down to rest and stuck his needles in his legs. Everyone had tried fighting without eye contact with little improvement. At this rate, they would easily fall victim to Geng Wu's Glare of Hate.

Determined to keep practicing, he got up, put aside the needles and started setting up dummies. He then got to work by rigging the Training Hall's arrow firing mechanism to fire at him in order to simulate the heat of battle. With his eyes on the dummies chests, he ran in at them.

With the arrows trying to hit him, he was always on his toes as he took out the dummies. Things would've been a lot better if he at least had his superior reflexes back; he always had to keep looking around to dodge any arrows coming his way which would make him accidentally look at a dummy's face.

He side-stepped two arrows punching a dummy into a group of others. He then swatted away another arrow before charging at another group. He ducked as a few more arrows came his way before performing a drop kick on a dummy. That was a bad idea; the second he landed, his legs began to ache again. This caused a slight pause during which he didn't notice two arrows heading for his back.

He then heard someone land behind him followed by the sound of two arrows hitting the dummies. He turned around and saw Crane, his wings outstretched. Lin then turned around and evaded two more arrows coming his way. Crane then flew off and turned the arrow-firing mechanism off.

"Thanks for the save Crane." Lin told him.

Crane flew back to him. "Maybe you should go back to your regular training. You'd be way safer that way." he told Lin who shook his head.

"This is more important." he said. "If I'm to survive my fight against Geng Wu, I have to master this."

Lin turned and started setting dummies up again. "Is the Glare really that bad?" Crane dared to ask.

Lin sighed as he set up a dummy. "It's worse than you can imagine." he turned around and walked towards Crane. "I take one look in his eyes and see everything he's ever done. Then rage, cold, blood-boiling, mind-breaking rage takes hold of me. It messes with my mind, and I can't think straight. If I rush at him blindly in that state, I'd surely be killed."

For a while, the two of them were silent, while listening to the others train. "It's hard to imagine you that angry." Crane told him. "You don't seem like the angry type to me. You don't really hate Geng Wu, don't you Lin?"

Lin thought about it in silence for a while."I...it's more like I pity him, his inability to show any form of kindness to anyone. But when I look into his eyes, I slowly lose the spark of decency within me despite my efforts to keep it." He put a paw on his chest and looked at the floor. "At this rate, I'll become just like him."

For a while he stared at the floor. He then looked up. "I don't know what you'd see if you looked into his eyes Crane, but whatever it is, it'll drive you insane." He shrugged. "And, I find it difficult to imagine you that angry as well. Tigress was right about you."

"She said stuff about me?" Crane asked surprised.

"She did; you could ask Po, Mantis and Monkey; they'd know as well." Lin said crossing his arms. "You're different from the other guys here, and she meant that in a good way. You're not as mischievous as they are; you're unique Crane in your own way."

Crane smiled a little at that. "Thanks Lin. You're not so bad yourself."

Lin gave a small chuckle before sighing and looking around. "I don't want that spark of decency in you or anyone else here to die out. We need to master this."

"Well then," Crane assumed a battle stance. "I think I'm better than these dummies. You're a great guy Lin; I won't that die."

Lin smiled back and assumed his stance. Together, he and Crane trained to master this new style to keep the goodness within them alive.


	43. Chapter 43

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 43  
>OUT OF PRISON<p>

Later that same afternoon...

Huu hated the cold very much; why did that place have to be so high in the mountains? Despite his complaints he had to do what his master had ordered him to do. Shivering slightly despite wearing a long cloak, he stood next to Xing watching their warriors set up the explosives.

Xing wasn't bothered much by the cold. He kept his gaze on the mighty door before him, a door he knew would be opening for them. Eventually, one of their warriors cried out, and all of them scrambled away from the door as fast as they could. A few seconds later, a mighty explosion blasted the doors allowing Xing and Huu to enter, their weapon's drawn.

Five rhino guards came at them with axes and hammers. Huu ran ahead and used his whip to disarm the first guard that came at him. He ran past that guard who died instantly from a blow from Xing's axe. Huu then side-stepped a hammer strike before jumping onto the rhino's back while wrapping one of his whips around his neck. With that guard distracted, Huu then painfully whipped another guard aside.

He jumped off the guard he was on who looked relieved a bit until he saw Xing coming at him with his axe. He raised his hammer to defend himself, but Xing broke right through it with his axe and killed him in one swift blow. Xing then looked up and saw Huu jump on the chest of a fallen guard and plunge the spike at the base of his whip into his chest, killing him instantly.

"There should be more at the bottom." Xing said.

"True, but they aren't ours to deal with." Huu replied before the two of them continued onwards.

They didin't meet any resistance on the way down. Eventually, they reached the dark depths of the prison. There, they were met by a large group of guards who stood blocking their way to the other prisons.

"There's no way, you're getting past us." the head guard said pointing his axe at Huu and Xing. The two of them looked at each other before Huu smiled and took a step forward.

"Chorh-Gom Prison...This place has been selected as a testing for our master's plans." he told the guards. "You have no choice but to partake in this test."

The head guard narrowed his eyes. "Just what kind of test?"

"A fight, a simple fight. If all of you still live at the end, then we'll leave this prison in peace."

"Hah! You think you two are a match for us?" he spread his arm indicating the large group of guards behind him. "We won't fall to the like of you!"

He began laughing while Huu just smiled. "Oh, we're not your opponents."

The head guard stopped laughing and looked at him. A second later, he heard something land behind Huu and Xing, but it was concealed in the shadows. Smiling, Hu and Xing turned their backs on the guards and walked into the shadows. After they vanished, the guards saw a pair of evil eyes gazing at them from the darkness.

"Kill them all." a cruel voice said.

Exactly fifteen minutes later, every guard was dead. "That was fast." Xing commented as he and Huu strolled through the dead bodies. "We better leave; master would want news of this."

"Wait." Huu said holding up a paw. Ignoring the confusion of Xing's face, he continued on inside the prison.

The other prisoners had heard the commotion outside, and they cowered as Huu and Xing entered. "Just what're you planning?" Xing asked.

"I heard there's someone here who could be useful to us." Huu answered as his eyes travelled to the different cells. "I'm sure the master would love a new ally even if it is only temporary."

Xing said nothing in response to that. He had long admitted that Huu was the smarter one. The two of them continued down into the deeper levels of the prison until they came across a certain cell which didn't seem to house anyone. Instead, there was only a tall object in the middle of the cell.

"We've found it." Huu said smiling.

"What is it?" Xing asked scratching his head. "A statue? They imprisoned a statue? Hah! It doesn't even look like anything."

"Oh Xing." Huu said laughing a little and shaking his head. "It is not a statue, but a cage. And is it not clear to you? It's the shape of an owl..."

* * *

><p>The special training that afternoon was just as bad as the one in the morning. Despite Lin and Crane's efforts, trying to fight without making eye contact was still tricky to master. By the end of the afternoon everyone was tired from a whole day of little achievement. And with the threat of Geng Wu still in their minds, they just felt worse.<p>

"C'mon guys, we'll get it right...sooner or later." Po said at dinner trying to raise their spirits.

"We have less than four days Po." Tigress pointed out. "We've barely made any improvement today."

"Doesn't mean we're gonna do just as bad tomorrow." Po replied. "I mean, you guys are the toughest warriors I know." he said indicating the five. "If anyone can do this, then it's you guys."

"Ahem." Lin coughed.

"Oh...Uh...Yeah, you can get too Lin." Po said a little embarrassed that he forgot him.

"And so will you Po...sooner or later." Lin replied without looking at him. Po just sat down and resumed eating, remaining silent for the rest of the meal.

That night, Lin could barely sleep. He couldn't without knowing that he'd last in a fight against Geng Wu. With a frustrated sigh, he jumped out of his bed and sneaked out of his room to continue training.

Luckily, he made it to the Training Hall courtyard without waking anyone up. He carefully took a few dummies out of the hall and started setting them up. A few seconds later, he heard a strange sound and looked around for its source. He eventually found it, someone standing on the roof, their back turned to him.

"Er...can I help you?" he asked the stranger. The latter didn't reply which confused Lin. Then suddenly, their head turned a full 180 degrees, surprising him a lot.

"As a matter of fact, you can. I was wondering if you could be my bait."

The next second, Lin found himself under attack.

* * *

><p>A scream of pain sounded through the night waking up everyone in the barracks. Tigress's eyes shot wide open at the sound; only one person could've made that. Fearing the worse, she jumped out of her bed and, ignoring the grumpy remarks of the others, ran to Lin's room only to find it empty.<p>

"Lin?" she asked out loud hoping he'd answer. After being met with silence, she stuck her head out his room and called again. "Lin!"

Again, no response. She started to panic a little and ran out of the barracks calling his name, She searched the Training Hall hoping that he was there. Finding it empty, she ran out to the courtyard finding two things in the middle.

The first was an open scroll with a message. The second was a puddle of blood.

_Furious Five and Dragon Warrior, weapons district in 1 hour or he dies..._


	44. Chapter 44

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 44  
>THE OWL IS BACK<p>

Lin eventually felt himself regain consciousness. With his eyes half-open, he tried to figure out what was going on. He felt rope around his wrists and ankles binding them in place. He felt himself sitting against a wooden wall in whatever room he was. He then winced in pain and looked down seeing a few bleeding gashes on his chest and stomach; as if there weren't enough wounds there already.

"Oh good, you're alive." a relieved voice said. "You don't know how much trouble I'd be if I'd accidentally killed you."

Lin looked up and met the gaze of a strange owl. With a jolt, he remembered this strange owl attack him in the middle of the night. He remembered being overwhelmed and cut a few times before being knocked out by a painful blow to his head.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"The future master of the Jade Palace, or at least, that's what I've been promised by Geng Wu." Lin's eyes widened at the name.

"What're you planning?" he demanded.

"Oh, I'm just waiting for your friends to show up. I can't kill you, but I wish I could say the same for them." the owl said.

"Making a deal with Geng Wu is a bad idea. He'll destroy the valley and kill-"

"Oh, I was told that he'd leave the palace alone just for me while he kills everyone else." she said.

"You were told? You haven't actually met him?" Lin asked.

"No. Why am I wasting time here? In a matter of minutes, all your little friends will be dead." the owl said leaning towards him and grinning evilly. "So sit tight and wait for me to come get you."

With an evil laugh, the owl left the room. Lin growled angrily and struggled against the ropes. He was unable to break them no matter how hard he tried. He tried his best to pull them apart, but that only hurt his wrists. He looked around hoping to find a way out of this before anything happened to Tigress and the others. As he did, he found something else; he wasn't alone in the room.

Shifu stared grimly at the letter that was handed to him. "I recognize this writing; this is the work of Fenghuang."

"What?" Po said surprised. The others were just as shocked. "Fenghuang? She's supposed to be locked up in Chorh-gom Prison."

"Apparently, not anymore." Shifu said. "It appears that she is using Lin as a hostage to lure us there."

"She's probably just going to kill us all when we get there. I mean, none of us could beat her last time." Crane said. "Master, you still have one of those owl-shaped cages lying around?"

"Unfortunately, the one Oogway made was the only one we had." Shifu did some thinking. "I could make another one, but it would take too much time."

"We don't have time." Tigress said desperately. "If we don't hurry, Lin might...might..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"We'll get him back Tigress; I promise." Viper said. Tigress was still a bit fearful but calmed down a bit.

"Then you must go now and hurry." Shifu said, and his students wasted no time in rushing out of the palace towards the weapon's district with Tigress hoping with everything she had that Lin would be alright.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile...<p>

Xing and Huu arrived back at the camp surrounding the Valley of Peace after informing their master about them freeing Fenghuang. Xing yawned and said that he was going to take nap before leaving Huu to go to his tent.

"Just what're you playing at?" a voice said from a tent he passed.

"Think of this as a good thing." Huu said into the tent. "The five will either be weakened or dead by the time Fenghuang's done."

"I heard you promised-"

"And it was an empty promise." Huu interrupted. "When she is finished, master will...meet with Fenghuang face-to-face." Huu smiled knowing what that meant. "Then, the earlier promise master made will be the one to be honored; you've nothing to worry about."

Huu didn't hear any reply and decided to leave. He paused for a while to gaze at the Valley of Peace whose citizens were slumbering peacefully not knowing that certain death awaited them. The thought was enough to make Huu smile before turning in for the night.

* * *

><p>Tigress and the rest of the group arrived at the weapon's district just on time. "Search for Lin, and keep an eye out for Fenghuang." Tigress instructed.<p>

"That won't be necessary." Fenghuang said landing on the roof of the building behind them. Before any of them could react, she spun around and fired a quick Thundering Wind Hammer which struck the center of the group. The impact knocked everyone aside, but they managed to land on their feet.

"Where is Lin!" Tigress demanded.

"Believe me, you won't last long enough to find him!" Fenghuang said flying in at them. She brushed of an oncoming Monkey before landing in their midst.

Po made the first move, but Fenghuang managed to block his punch before countering with a swipe of her blades. Po narrowly avoided the swipe and back off a bit while Mantis came at her. She swung her blades downwards to try to impale him, but he avoided it before running up her wing. She ducked his flying kick and swatted him aside like he was nothing.

Fenghuang lunged at Viper next, but Crane was quick to intercept her. He deflected a few of Fenghuang's swipes allowing Viper to move in and help. Fenghuang blocked Crane's wing and kicked him in the chest. With him reeling, Fenghuang turned her attention to Viper who managed to coil around her wing and make her lose her balance allowing Crane an opportunity to attack. Thinking fast, Fenghuang located Viper's head on her wing and swung it at Crane making sure the Viper's head struck Crane's body knocking the two of them aside.

Furious, Tigress ran at her and kicked, but she backed up and swiped with her blades. Tigress managed to avoid it but not without losing a few inches of fur on her arm. Po jumped in to help and attacked and kept Fenghuang busy for a while.

Tigress also rushed in to help, but Monkey raised an arm to stop her. "We'll hold her off; find Lin!" he told her before she ran off.

"Oh no you don't!" Fenghuang yelled before kicking Po aside and going after Tigress. She flew up high and dove down at her, her blades aimed for her back. Tigress managed to roll forward in time and quickly took off to find Lin.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry you were dragged into this." Lin told the tied up sheep along with his wife and son who looked only about seven or eight years old.<p>

"It's not your fault." the mother sheep said. It was a horrible night for her family. Fenghuang barged in while they were asleep. She then immediately held their son hostage and ordered his parents to tie Lin and themselves up.

"I'm scarred mommy." the child sheep said cuddling up to his parents who held their son tightly.

Lin sighed and tried pulling the ropes apart with no success. He got to his feet, hopped towards the door and rammed it, but it remained shut.

"Something on the other side's blocking it." the father sheep said.

"I could probably bust right through it; if only I could just free my legs." Lin said turning to them.

The father sheep looked like he had an idea. "We keep some of our tools in that drawer. Maybe there's something in there that can help us cut these ropes."

"Yes, but can we open it?" Lin asked wondering how to do so with their wrists tied up. Luckily, the drawer had a handle, so Lin was able to pull it open with his teeth.

Inside were a bunch of tools he remembered as being used for sharpening. He found a small blade and brought it out with his mouth. He hopped on over to the family and started cutting the father's ropes.

Back outside, Tigress kept shouting Lin's name hoping for an answer while being chased by Fenghuang, who was in turn being chased by Po and the rest of the five. Fenghuang managed to land in front of her and swung her wing; Tigress blocked it and countered with her own punch, but it was blocked as well.

Tigress moved in for a leg sweep, but Fenghuang flew up while still holding her arm. She carried the struggling Tigress into the air, before gazing into her eyes for a second and lunching her upwards. She then flew upwards with her blades pointed at the falling Tigress ready to impale her.

At the last second, Crane caught her and flew her out of Fenghuang's way. Meanwhile, Mantis, who was on Crane, dropped down to confront the owl. Crane meanwhile dropped Tigress off before flying off to help the others keep Fenghuang busy. Tigress, hoping that they'd be OK as well, took off to find Lin.

* * *

><p>"There!" It took several minutes, but Lin managed to cut the ropes around the father sheep's wrists. The latter the used the knife to free his family and Lin. After rubbing his wrists, he got up and kicked the door several times until he managed to push the cabinet on the other side away and open the door. He bolted out immediately.<p>

He emerged from the house and looked around, hearing fighting nearby. He ran around a corner and saw Fenghuang fighting Po and the five. He quickly ran to their aid. "Guys!"

Tigress was the first to notice him. "Lin!" She tried running to him, but kneed her stomach and threw her at Po making the two crash. After warding off an assault from Monkey, she flew towards Lin. She flew over him and landed behind him.

Lin turned around and punched but was blocked by a smirking Fenghuang. "I can't kill you, but no one said I can't cut you up a little."

She smacked his face with her other wing. Lin stumbled a bit before blocking her next swipe and countering with three consecutive punches. That still wasn't enough to defeat Fenghuang who caught his fist and cut his thigh and chest with her blades.

Lin shoved her back and charged. Tigress and the rest of them recovered from the beating they took and looked at Lin trying to keep himself alive. As he tried fending her off, they noticed something with Lin as he fought. The first to realize this was Tigress who got up.

"For crying out loud Lin; look her in the eyes!" she shouted. True enough, his eyes weren't on his opponent's as he fought her.

"Not looking me in the eye? How rude." Fenghuang commented as she ducked Lin's kick. She swept him off his feet and struck him in mid-air sending him flying. For good measure, she hit him with a Thundering Wind Hammer which knocked him further back.

Fenghuang grinned and quickly turned around to block an angry Tigress's kick. Tigress then punched, but Fenghuang moved around her, cut her side and kicked her away before engaging the others.

Groaning slightly, Lin got to his feet. His legs suddenly burned with pain forcing him on his knees. Gritting his teeth, he looked up and saw his friends keeping Fenghuang busy. He then saw Tigress on the ground clutching her bleeding side and ran to her.

"Tigress!" he bent down. "Are you hurt? Can you still fight-"

She suddenly put her arms around his stomach and hugged him tightly. "You're alive..." she whispered relieved.

Lin slowly hugged and helped her to her feet. After a few second of hugging, they remembered that their friends needed them. They parted and headed into battle.

"So who exactly are we dealing with here Tigress?" Lin asked.

"Her name's Fenghuang." Said owl just swiped her wings at Po who blocked the attack. "She's much stronger than all of us together."

"Clearly. You've fought before?"

"Once, but none of us stood a chance against her. Po did manage to trick her and got her incarcerated."

"You've made quite the enemy while I was gone." Lin said observing Fenghuang fight. "Any more enemies I should be on the look out for?"

Tigress rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."

Both of them rushed at Fenghuang. Lin, still keeping his eyes on her body, managed to duck under her swipe while Tigress jumped over her. Lin continued running and grabbed Tigress's ankle before throwing her while her paws were pulled back. Fenghuang saw this and launched a Thundering Wind Hammer at her. In response, Tigress thrust her paws forward impacting the raging sphere of wind.

This caused Tigress to stall in mid-air for a bit. That gave Lin time to run past her towards Fenghuang. Still not looking into her eyes, he blocked a few of her strikes before jumping on his back and performing a drop kick. Fenghuang merely side-stepped and chopped with her wing. Before Lin could get hit, he felt himself yanked away by an unseen force. A few seconds later, he found himself a few feet away and saw Mantis holding his ankle.

"Thanks." Lin said. Meanwhile, Tigress was beginning to lose her hold on the Wind Hammer. While Crane and Viper held Fenghuang off, Po managed to get to Tigress and pull her out of the lock making the sphere fly into the distance.

"We got her on the run." Po told her.

"Overwhelm her!" Tigress shouted as he and everyone else converged on Fenghuang. She sighed in annoyance as she tried cutting Viper in half. She luckily evaded the swipe, wrapped her tail around Fenghuang's wing and pulled down embedding her blades in the ground.

Crane flew in and kicked, but Fenghuang vaulted herself over him and managed to get her wing out of the ground. She swiped at Crane who managed to deflect it giving Monkey the opportunity to kick the side of her head. She managed to block it with her other wing, but with her wings occupied, she was unable to stop Mantis to kick her chest.

Shrugging the blow off, she broke Crane's and Monkey's holds on her and knocked them aside. She focused her attention on the oncoming Po eager for some payback for tricking her. She flew in at him, but at the last second, he move to his right, revealing Tigress who was hidden behind his large fast Fenghuang swered to her left and pulled her wing back to give Tigress another cut.

She however was too busy to notice Po who smirked before hitting her with his stomach. Fenghuang landed on her feet and saw Lin heading towards her, his eyes on her body. She swiped , and Lin dodged before countering with a punch. He was blocked and had to back away as the blades came within inches of him. He then kept backing up and blocking her attacks looking for an opening to counter attack.

"Hey...Lin's doing!" Po shouted. Lin realized that he was able to evade the blows without looking in Fenghuang's eyes. The latter just got angrier with each missed attack. Lin eventually found his opening and did a leg sweep followed by a high kick which then moved into a triple punch ending with his elbow strike-backhand combo.

Fenghuang landed on her feet and looked up seeing all seven of them charging at her. She held her ground and waited for them to come closer. Lin didn't know what she was planning but decided to end this before she could do anything. When they were close enough, they struck.

Fenghuang let out a mighty shriek, and Lin and the others felt something grab them and bring the into the air. Lin gasped at what he saw on the ground. There was a large pool of water at Fenghuang's feet; from it came large tendrils of water which were wrapped around him and the rest of them.

"What the hell is this!" he shouted.

Fenghuang spun in place creating a spout of water that brough her up to his level. "Another one of the Seven Impossible Moves: The Leviathan's Grip."

With a wave of her wing, the ends of the tendril shot themselves at the others' faces, enclosing their heads in a spheres of water. Lin watched in horror as his friends started drowning. "That's enough; stop this!" he shouted at Fenghuang who just laughed.

Lin tried getting his arms free, but the water held his arms close to his body. He tried kicking Fenghuang, but she made the tendril holding him smash his face into the ground. He was then brought up and made eye contact with Tigress who was beginning to black out from lack of oxygen. Keeping her eyes on him, his panicked face slowly faded...

Something sailed through the air and pierced Fenghuang's left shoulder. This broke her concentration and made the tendrils become mere puddles of water. Lin, weak from all the fighting, raised his head and saw the others disoriented and weak but thankfully alive.

Fenghuang yanked the arrow out of her shoulder and looked behind her to see who dared to attack her. Lin follwed her gaze and was surprised to see the same sheep child he was imprisoned with. In his hands was a roughly carved bow and another arrow already loaded.

Angry, Funghuang advanced on him. Terrified, he fired another arrow which was deflected. The boy just stood there in shock as Fenghuang quickly flew in at him. There was a scream; his parents, who had been looking for him, saw their son about to be killed right before them.

At the last second, Lin ran in and tackled the child, bringing him out of harm's way. He hastily helped the child to his feet. "Go; get somewhere safe!" The child didn't hesitate and ran off to his parent who embraced him.

Lin got up and turned to Fenghuang who was really angry at that point. She flew in at Lin who stood his ground. Still not looking into her eyes, he blocked her swipe and hit her with a leg sweep followed by an uppercut then a jump kick. Fenghuang crashed several feet away, but landed on her feet.

She glared at Lin who stood his ground. He still looked like he was ready to continue fighting. To his surprise, Fenghuang flew off into the night.

"I'll be back!" she shouted before disappearing into the distance. Relieved, Lin ran back to the group; they were slowly coming to and getting to their feet. Tigress saw him run towards her and opened her arms. She caught him and kissed him passionately, holding him tightly not caring who was looking. She was so terrified of loosing him, but now, he was safe again with them.

The young sheep child was surprised to see the group approach him with Lin at the lead. The latter bent down and spoke to the child. "I want to thank you for saving our lives. You've shown an incredible amount of courage for someone you age." Lin said.

The child gave him a wide smile. "It's us who should be thanking you for helping us." the mother said.

"It was nothing really."

"No it wasn't." the father said. "We're all in your debt here. If there's anything you need, just come to us."

Lin thought about denying it, but a thought struck him. He looked unsure about it, but decided on it in the end. "I'll keep that in mind." He stood up. "But for now, I think it's best if we all went to bed."

'Yeah, no kidding." Po said with a yawn. "We could all use a break for saving yout butt."

Lin laughed but then gasped in pain. He put his paw on his stomach saw that he was bleeding. "We'll patch you up back home Lin." Viper told him.

"Yes. That sounds like a good idea." Lin thanked the family once more before they left. He watched their retreating figures for a while before heading back to the palace with the others.

"You know, seeing that family just now...it reminded me of something." Lin said as they walked.

"Hm? What?" Crane asked.

"They reminded me of what we're all fighting for." Lin said. "You six protect each other as well as everyone else in the valley. All these people, these families, these lives, they're all in danger now." He held Tigress paw and smiled at her. "I'm glad to know that there are people here who're worth protecting, and I would gladly do so with you all with me."

Tigress smiled back at him as did the rest of them. In just four days, Geng Wu would come and try to destroyed everything and everyone they loved. They all resolved to become stronger, to protect their home and their families from anyone who threatened them.

* * *

><p>At Geng Wu's camp...<p>

"I assure you; our master isn't angry at all." Huu insisted.

Fenghuang was still skeptical. "Then why did you say he wants a word with me?"

"He just want to talk." Xing told her. "Y'know, about your next move and all that stuff."

"He'll be here shortly." Huu said as he and Xing left Fenghuang alone in the tent. They couldn't stop grinning while thikning of what was about to happen.

Upon hearing footsteps before them, they turned their gazes to the ground. The tall wolf continued on with his sword already in hand. Still smiling, Huu said: "She's all yours master." before heading back to his tent.

Fenghuang crossed her wings and tapped her foot impatiently. She heard the flap of the tent open and turned. "It's about time we actually me-"

The second she looked into his eyes, burning and almost maddening hatred and rage consumed her corrupting her thought, making her want to do nothing more than tear the wolf to pieces. With a loud shriek, she flew in at him.

Geng Wu remained calm despite the fury in Fenghuang's eyes. As she blindly swung her blades, Geng Wu swung his sword and clashed with her blades. Sparks flew as she found herself launched into the air during which eye contact was broken, and she regained her senses.

She landed on her feet and looked up once again falling victim to the Glare of Hate. Geng Wu charged at her and jumped over her as she slashed. He landed behind her and slashed/ She blocked it but once again looked into his eyes.

After letting out a loud cry, she began slashing madly at him as if the mere sight of him drove her insane. Geng Wu remained calm and blocked each slash and swipe his opponent made. Eventually, he backed up and turned breaking eye contact and making Fenghuang regain her senses. Knowing that he was about to attack, she held up her blades to block it.

Geng Wu spun and gave an almighty slash which destroyed her precious blades. He kicked the weaponless Fenghuang back before charging again. She looked up and gazed into those eyes one last time before he plunged his sword into her chest.

Her eyes widened and she choked out blood. She once again looked into those eyes making think of his death over what was happening to her. She still had the strength to raise her wings in an attempt to strike him. Geng Wu saw those hate-filled eyes slowly lose emotion and eventually close. Her wings fell and her legs buckled.

He pulled his sword out and kicked her body making sure she was dead. Satisfied, he left her lifeless body all alone in the tent, his sword still dripping with her blood.


	45. Chapter 45

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 45  
>A DAY OF REST<p>

3 days until the Geng Wu attack...

"No."

"Lin..."

"I said no."

"Quit being stubborn; this is for your own good.

"I won't just it here and do nothing."

"Ugh, stop being such a child."

"Excuse me? You know me more than anyone Tigress, so you should know that I'm anything but childish. Stubborn maybe, but not childish."

Tigress gave and annoyed sigh and shook her head. While the others had gone off to train, she and Viper remained to try to talk Lin into taking the day off. The latter was sitting on his mat arms crossed, refusing to just sit there and waste a whole day of training.

"Lin, if you gout out and train, your wounds might reopen." Viper said knowing this because she patched him up. "You need at least a day to get them healed properly."

"I might get cut while fighting Geng Wu, so I have to learn to fight with these wounds. You have a wound as well Tigress." Lin pointed out.

Tigress covered it. "Yes well, it's not as severe as the ones on you." she replied. "Besides, you've already gotten used to fighting without eye contact."

"True, but it could always use improvement."

The girls looked at each other; they just weren't getting through to him. Tigress opened her mouth to speak, but Viper held up her tail to silence her. The latter just smiled as if she found a way around this. "Lin, you respect authority don't?" Viper asked ina sweet voice.

Lin raised a suspicious eyebrow. "What of it?" he asked.

"Let's see, you left over 20 years ago right?" viper asked. "Tigress stayed here and eventually became a master."

Tigress understood what she was getting at. "Right. I managed to continue my training and became a master. You on the other hand remain a student of Master Shifu."

"We're both masters Lin, so technically, we both outrank you." Viper pointed out. "And as your superiors, we order you to take a day off."

Lin looked at the two girls who seemed satisfied with themselves. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't think of anything to say. In the end, he pouted and crossed his arms. "This isn't the end; I'll think up a good counter argument eventually.

That was good to hear to Tigress. She went over and kissed Lin's cheek before leaving with Viper for him to recover. "He will eventually think up a counterargument." Tigress said.

"At least he'll think it up somewhere he can't hurt himself." Viper replied. "I can't believe he want to train in his condition."

"That's Lin for you." Tigress told her with a sigh. "He's really like that; he tries to make every day count for him. He hates wasting just one day."

"It's not wasting; he's getting rest. Isn't that good enough for him?"

"Apparently not. Then again, his passion to make every day count is quite admirable." Tigress said with a small smile.

Viper looked at her for a while. "Y'know Tigress, you're a lot different now that Lin's around; you seems a lot happier nowadays."

"I am?" Tigress asked surprised. She smiled a again a bit. "I guess that's just how he makes me feel; I'm never any happier than when I'm with him."

"I can tell." the two girls have just arrived at the Training Hall where Shifu was observing Monkey and Po spar without eye contact. The two of them seemed to be getting the hang of it.

"Yeah! I'm on a roll!" Po shouted excitedly as he dodged Monkey's kicks without eye contact. Monkey himself was also to perform those moves without looking in Po's eyes.

Shifu was very pleased by this. "Well done students." he said as Po and Monkey stopped. Both of them seemed satisfied with themselves. "And not a moment too soon. With less than three days until the attack, I believe we can achieve this."

"Well when Geng Wu shows up, we're all gonna send him packing." Po said giving Monkey a high-five before walking back to the group.

"Tigress, Viper, you two are next." Shifu said. The girls took their places

* * *

><p>Back in his room, Lin was pretty grumpy about missing training for that day. They could've at least given him something to do in his room like studying some scrolls or whatever. That was a lot more productive than just laying around in his room all day.<p>

He did understand that Tigress didn't want him to get himself any more hurt than he already was, but still; he hated doing nothing while the others were out. The only thing that kept him in his room was the fact that his wounds began to ache whenever he got up; Fenghuang really did a number on him.

He thought that she was already back with Geng Wu, ready to plot their next move against them. If she hadn't looked in his eyes and got herself killed at least. He just had to be there if there were to be any more attacks within the day, but his wounds stopped him from doing just that.

A knock on his door caught his attention. Without raising his head, he said: "Come in." He then raised his head and saw viper slither in carrying rolls of bandages.

"Just here to change your bandages Lin." she told him. Lin sighed and got up taking his shirt off in the process. His chest was covered with several bandages which were slightly soaked with his blood.

"So how was training?" Lin asked as Viper removed the bandages.

"Better than yesterday." Viper replied laying the used bandages aside. "We're starting to get the hang of fighting without eye contact. That should make fighting off Geng Wu easier."

"That's good to hear." He then winced as she cleaned up his wounds. "Ah...Easy with that disinfectant."

"Oh it doesn't hurt that much." she said cleaning up a little more.

"Easy for you to say; you're not the one covered in wounds."

Viper sighed and shook her head as she readied the fresh bandages. "I'm surprised you didn't sneak out to do some training while we were gone." she told him.

"No; my wounds are stopping me from doing so. Besides, I wouldn't want to worry Tigress any more than she already does." Viper looked at him realizing that he gave up thinking up a counterargument for Tigress's sake. She said nothing about this as she finished applying the new bandages.

"There; don't worry Lin. You'll be ready for training again tomorrow."

"Thank you Viper. I think I'm well enough to stand now." He tried getting up and took a step forward. He smiled after this, but as he took another step, his wounds began to hurt again forcing him back onto his mat.

"It's official; no getting up until tomorrow." Viper said sternly.

Lin sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say mother." he said a little bit annoyed by his situation.

Viper looked at him surprised. "What did you call me?"

"What?" Lin remembered what he just said. "Oh; I'm sorry. That just seemed to occur naturally to me..."

"N-no; it's alright. I mean, with guys like Po, Mantis and Monkey around, someone here has to be like a mom." Viper said with a small laugh.

"Huh...Indeed." Lin said smiling a bit. "You are like a mother to us all with the way you care for us. The last time I felt such care was from...my mother."

"What was she like?" Viper dared to ask.

Lin was silent for a while. "She was lovely and as caring as any mother should be. I have more of her personality."

"She does sound like a nice person." Viper commented.

"She was; you would've loved her too Viper. She was a good mother to us all, to me and my siblings." He paused for a few seconds and looked down. "Now that I think about it...I haven't visited my family's graves in years."

He remained silent after that reflecting on just how much he lost due to Geng Wu until he felt Viper's tail on his knee. He looked up and saw a kind smile on her. "Tell you what, next time you visit their graves, I'll get everyone here to go with you."

"Really? That...that means a lot to me." Lin said. "I know this is a personal thing for me, but it means a lot knowing I don't have to do this alone. Thank you Viper."

She smiled back and put away her things. "Listen, I've got to head back to training; can I get you anything?"

"Actually, there is one thing." Lin said. "Could you bring over a few scrolls for me to read? I want to at least do something productive while I'm in here."

"Sure thing; I'll bring you some. Or at least, what I can get."

Her words confused him. "What do you mean?"

Viper paused for a bit. "Well, before you showed up, we were attacked in the middle of the night. Apparently, the fight was just a distraction. Someone sneaked in and made off with over half the Thousand Scrolls."

That took Lin by surprise. "When did this all happen?"

"Let's see...around six months ago." Viper said remembering that was a little after they defeated Shen.

"I see." Lin said deep in thought. Viper left him alone giving him an opportunity to think.

Someone had stolen the scrolls, but who? His first thought was that Geng Wu was responsible, but why would he do such a thing. He then remembered something Geng Wu said back when he was a prisoner.

_"They are now a threat and must be dealt with."_

_"I do not underestimate them; I need a solution to this..."_

He remembered him saying that after hearing about Shen's defeat. Was he planning something involving Po and the others? But if so, then what kind of plan was it? Why would he steal scrolls and then wait half a year later before attacking the Valley of Peace? That increased the possibility of him being behind the theft, but why did he do it?

Just what kind of sinister plan did he have in store for them?


	46. Chapter 46

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 46  
>THE PAINFUL TRUTH<p>

"Think, think, think...what could it be?" Lin muttered to himself still pondering just what Geng Wu's diabolical plan could be. He just knew that it was something very bad for all of them.

"Uh, hey Lin, you haven't touched your noodles." Po said pointing out Lin's still-full bowl.

"What? Oh sorry." Lin ate a few noodles. "My mind's a little preoccupied right now."

"Really? What's eating ya?" Po asked.

Lin poked around his noodles for a while. "Well...six months ago, Geng Wu was planning on attacking Gongmeng City in order to kill Shen whose ambitions were in his way."

"Did us beating Shen have something to do with that?" Viper asked.

"Yes." Lin continued. "Before, Geng Wu didn't really consider any of you a threat, but Shen's defeat changed that. You're all now a threat to him; he said that he was thinking up a plan to get rid of you...six months ago."

Tigress did some thinking. "That would be around the same time we were attacked and the scrolls were stolen; do you think Geng Wu had a hand in that?"

"It seems most likely." Lin said thinking. "Fenghuang also told me that she was in league with Geng Wu."

"But...that doesn't make sense; why would Geng Wu steal from us and then wait half a year to make his next move?" Crane asked out loud.

"He's definitely up to something big." Monkey said.

"If I'm going to figure this out, I'll need more information." Lin said realizing that his noodles were starting to get cold. He quickly drank some soup.

"The group that attacked us weren't that tough; if that guys hadn't sneaked up on us, we could've taken them." Mantis said. He crossed his arms and let out an annoyed humph. "Hmph...annoying fox and gorilla."

At those last words, Lin spat his soup back into his startling the others. When he looked up at them, they saw his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "L...Lin...?" Tigress asked worriedly.

"I...er..." He stared at her and got lost for a bit. A memory of that night flashed into his mind. "I er...sorry. Soup was a little too hot..." He gave a nervous laugh to try to hide the shock he just had.

"No...it couldn't be..." he thought.

Po decided to kill the tension. "Well, if those two ever show up again, they better keep their eyes out for us. Or at least...that gorilla guy; the fox guy's got just one eye."

One eye...

"Oh damn..." Lin whispered as more and more images of that night entered his mind.

This time, everyone was sure something was wrong. Lin looked up and made eye contact with Tigress. She looked at him asking with those eyes if everything was fine. He looked into those same eyes wondering if he should tell her the truth.

But what if it ended up hurting her?

Wanting to be alone to think this through, he placed a paw on his bandaged chest. "Damn it...my chests is acting up again." He stood up and slowly made his way out. "I'm sorry everyone, but I need to rest."

Tigress got up and tried speaking, but Lin hurriedly made his way out. He quickly got out of that room hoping that he wouldn't raise any more suspicion. His haste only made the others worry more especially Tigress.

As soon as Lin got into his room, he slid his door shut and sat down against it. He took several deep breaths before putting his paws on his face as memories of that night, that horrible night that changed their lives, that tore Tigress away from him for years, poured in.

The gorilla...the fox with a missing eye...it had to be_ them_...

He saw the whole thing as well, so he remembered every detail of that instant clearly, but Tigress...she didn't seem to recognize them; she didn't know who they really were and how they changed her life.

He thought about this whole thing. Should he tell her the truth or should he keep it a secret? If Geng Wu attacked, there was a possibility they's come across those two. How would Tigress react if she saw them again knowing fully what they did? Would there be a repeat of what happened all those years ago?

On the other hand, keeping her in the dark was also a bad thing. She deserved to know who those two were and the crimes they committed. But would that give her thoughts of vengeance?

He too had problems with vengeance since it was his initial reason of defeating Geng Wu in the first place, but he had long moved past that. Would she be able to do the same?

When she thought he'd died, she didn't let vengeance take hold of her and instead shut herself down, becoming as distant and quiet as she was when he first came to the Valley of Peace. If it hadn't been for Po and the others, she would've remained that way for the rest of her life.

But this time, she might end up face-to-face with those two. With the knowledge of what they did fresh in her head, would she be filled with vengeance and somehow reduce herself to their level. No...he would never let that happen.

But it was wrong to withhold the truth. The arguments and reasons kept circling around his head with no end. He only wanted what was best for her and didn't want to see her hurt. What would be better for Tigress? To tell or not...?

* * *

><p>The whole time Lin was in his room, the others, especially Tigress, were fussing over what could be bothering him. She recalled that he had first reacted when they mentioned the gorilla and fox who attacked them half a year ago.<p>

For some strange reason, just thinking of those two send a chill up her spine for some reason. She remembered the gorilla grinning at her saying that he was going to finish what he started. Just what did he mean by that? Have they met before?

Something did seems familiar about them. Their rough voices, their unkind faces, they could be some bandits she took out before, but Lin's reaction to them as well as the possibility that they could be connected to Geng Wu struck her.

Nonetheless, she just focused on her training while Lin spend the afternoon balancing between deciding what to do and studying what little scrolls Viper managed to bring him. Neither of them said anything to each other until after dinner.

"Tigress...May I speak to you about something...?"

Judging by the nervousness in his voice, she could tell that this was something serious, maybe the reason to his reaction earlier that day. Whatever the reason, she followed him into his room while the others turned in for the night. Lin slid the door closed and sighed before walking to the other side of the room.

"Is something wrong Lin?" Tigress asked.

He sighed again and looked at her with a pained expression. "Misha...you deserve to know the truth..."

Upon hearing her real name, Tigress knew that this was dead serious. "But this truth will hurt you, and I would never want to do that. I've been debating on whether I should tell you or not, but in the end, I want the decision to be yours; do you want to hear a painful truth or let me keep it to the grave?"

Tigress couldn't believe he was asking this. Looking at his face, she him study her carefully. "Is this about earlier Lin? About why you left?" she asked.

"Yes it is." he answered truthfully. He sighed once more and took her paw. "I don't want to cause you any hurt Tigress, but I think it's wrong to keep secrets from you. I just...Ugh..." He looked at her feet.

"If you want me to tell you...then I swear to give you any amount of comfort I can possibly give. I...I would do whatever it would take to set things right and to make you stop hurting.

"But if you don't want to hear the truth...then I promise to put it behind me and move on. I won't let it bother you or me ever again. I'll just...move of...try to forget it happened..."

"But it did happen..." Lin finished grimly in his head.

Tigress stared at him before looking down a bit; Lin await her decision. "Tell me something first Lin. Does this truth involve you? Do you have any part in it." she asked.

"I...Well...No Misha." Lin answered truthfully. He then felt her paw on his shoulder.

"Then what have you to fear?" she told him. "If it does hurt me, then it isn't your fault. You don't have to blame yourself for anything."

Lin considered her words. "So...you're saying..."

Tigress nodded firmly. "I want to hear it Lin."

Lin sighed and looked around nervously for a while. "It...it's about those two who attacked you six months ago."

Tigress had a feeling that they were involved somehow. She said nothing and let Lin continue. "They don't seem...familiar to you?"

"I..." Tigress paused for a bit. "They do, but I can't put my finger on them."

Lin sighed. "Of course you wouldn't remember with your memory problems..." he muttered loud enough for her to hear.

"What?"

"I know who those two are..." Lin confessed. He delayed saying it for several seconds until...

"Misha...They killed your parents..."

The first second after that, nothing happened. The second after that, Tigress's eyes widened as the memory of that horrible night took over her mind. She was a little girl again staring at the dead bodies of her beloved parents, Lin screaming her name in the distance.

Two darkened figures stood behind her parents, two figures that slowly turned themselves into the same gorilla and fox she had faced six moths ago. She suddenly felt something inside her snap, as if a switch had been flip sending her into a fury. The next thing she knew, her claws were digging into the fox's left eye making him scream in pain. As he stumbled to the ground with a paw on his eye socket, she lunged at the gorilla and started digging her claws into his back. After a while, the gorilla struck her pain painfully, and everything went black.

At the same time of the impact, Tigress felt herself struck by the shock of the truth. It caused her to let go of Lin and stumble back a bit. Her face panicked and shaky her back hit the wall, and she slid down, her face not changing the whole time. As her body began to tremble, Lin bent down and grabbed her arms.

"Misha..." he said trying to calm her down. "Misha, listen to me." She continued to shake under his arms. The images of those two murderers were burned into her mind. "Your parents...they were good people, among the best I've ever met; they had to be as they have such a wonderful daughter. They're...they're in a better place now, somewhere no one or anything could hurt them."

"They may have been taken away from you, but there are still others who love you here. You have me; you have Master Shifu; you have Po and everyone else here. I swear," He shook her lightly. "I will not anyone or anything take them away. They are as much as my family as well as your; let's protect all we have left in the world together Misha."

She finally managed to looked up at him. Tigress stopped trembling, but her eyes shone with tears. Lin gave her a kiss before hugging her tightly. Her body heaved with sobs as he slowly stroked her back, whispering words of comfort to her.

She knew he was right about everything he just said. As the tears lessened, she gripped him tightly and forced her face into a look of determination, a face that would strike fear into the hearts of those who dared to harm her family.


	47. Chapter 47

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 47  
>BELIEF IN OTHERS<p>

2 days until the Geng Wu attack...

With a loud cry, Tigress punched Lin's jaw while avoiding eye contact at the same time. She jumped and performed a kick, but he managed to duck it and back up a bit. He went on the offensive this time successfully punching her three times before attempting a kick. She managed to block it before hitting him with her elbow.

She then moved into another punch, but Lin blocked it with his left hand, and punched her chest with his right. He spun around and tried a backhand, but Tigress backed up and did a high kick only to be blocked and hit with another spinning backhand. As Lin steadied himself after the attack, Tigress managed to punch him twice and followed with a kick.

Lin recovered, and he and Tigress punched at the same time still avoiding eye contact. Their fists traveled right past each other and hit their target right in the face. Both of them were knocked off their feet and remained airborne for a few seconds before they hit the ground hard. for several seconds, they just laid there catching their breaths, Lin's legs burning slightly.

"Hah, I win; pay up." Mantis said happily to Po.

"No way man." Po pointed at the two. "Tigress totally hit the ground after Lin, so you pay up."

"C'mon, I'm a lot closer to the ground, and I say Tigress hit the ground first." Mantis argued.

"No; Lin did!"

"Tigress!"

"Lin!"

"Would you two...quit betting on our training results?" Lin said annoyed as he sat up and stuck his needles into his aching legs. "We both hit the ground together, right Tigress?"

"Wh-what?" she said almost startled. "I...yes; you're right Lin."

Mantis grumbled and handed Po his winnings. Tigress got to her feet with a rather tired expression on her fave even though it was still morning. Lin noticed this, took out the needles and approached her.

"Are you alright Tigress?" he asked concerned. "You're still thinking about last night aren't you?"

Tigress shrugged and looked up at him; he always had that ability to read her like one of their scrolls. She sighed. "Yes Lin. I'm trying to get over it but..." She shook her head. "It's like having to watch them die all over again." He opened his mouth. "Don't apologize; none of this is your fault Lin." She could read him just as well as he could her.

"Look, I'll be fine; I promise." she said. Lin nodded, and she walked off to the Seven Clubs to train.

"What's her problem?" Monkey asked walking up to him.

Lin sighed. "She's a little bothered about something. But..."

"But what?" Po asked.

Lin looked at both of them considering what he was planning; it would be difficult, but with their help, it was possible. "Where can we talk in private?" he asked them.

"We could try my room." Po suggested. Lin looked around making sure that they weren't being watched. He beckoned the two of them to follow him out of the Training Hall and into the barracks.

"So uh...yeah; this's my room." Po said pointing at it. Inside was a mess; the bed wasn't made, and the floor was strewn with empty bowls, scrolls, and extra pants.

"Trust me; my room's a lot cleaner." Monkey said and they entered. As Lin did so, he felt his foot nudge something. He looked down and saw a red cylindrical object with green ends. Upon noticing the golden dragon on it, he gasped and picked it up, getting the attention of the other two.

"This...this is the Dragon Scroll!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah; I was wondering where that went." Po said as if it was nothing.

Lin continued to stare at the scroll in awe and wonder. "This scroll...contains the secrets to limitless power, the very thing hundreds would kill for!"

"You could open it if you want." Po said pointing at it.

Lin looked at him to the scroll and back, as if he misheard him. "Are you serious?" he asked. "I mean, it would be an honor to learn from it, but I'm technically still a students and-"

"Just open it." Po told him simply. Lin gulped and nervously took the scroll's cover off. As he held the scroll in his paws, he could almost feel as if it were pulsing with power. Not looking at his two friends, he closed his eyes and turned away as he threw the scroll open.

For a few seconds, he looked away from it expecting something earth shattering to happen, After a few uneventful moments, he thought it safe enough to opened his eyes. He slowly gazed into the open scroll surprised to see just his face on its golden parchment.

"Surprised huh?" Po said with a small chuckle. Lin turned over the scroll several times as if he was doing something wrong.

"I was honestly expecting an almighty burst of light to erupt from it or something similar." Lin said. "Is it because I'm not the Dragon Warrior, or is it because you used it up Po?"

"Nah, that's just where limitless power comes from." Po said pointing at it. Lin looked at it again.

"My reflection?" Lin asked confused. Po and Monkey sighed.

"You." the latter said poking him.

"We thought Oogway was a little crazy too when he made that." Po said. "But I got it; you yourself are the source of limitless power. If you just believe in yourself, you'll get power you couldn't even imagine." Po walked over to Lin's side. "Oogway wasn't crazy after all."

Lin looked from the scroll to his two friends. Looking at the scroll again, his and Po's faces reflected in it, he realized something. "I think Master Oogway meant more than that." he said.

"What?" Monkey and Po asked surprised.

"Well if you ask me...I think there was another message in here." Lin said. He handed the scroll to Po. "What do you see Po?"

"Me." Po said simply. Lin walked over and stood by him.

"Now what do you see?"

"Us."

"I think that's what Master Oogway meant also." Lin explained. "If he'd wanted a single person to look into it, he would've made the scroll smaller. But he made so that it not only reflects you, but also everyone around you."

"I think it means that even though one can achieve great things and gain power beyond imagination from belief in one's capabilities, it can also be obtained through belief in others. If this scroll was meant for only the Dragon Warrior to read, then it should've been a lot smaller."

"Instead, it was made to reflect everyone around the reader like their friends or family. If one can believe in himself and in those around him, then limitless power is his to take."

Po and Monkey just stared at him amazing by the wisdom he just displayed. "Yea well uh...I guess you could be right." Po said putting the scroll away.

Lin smiled. "Oh you're just jealous that my interpretation of the scroll's better than yours. But I meant what I said; i believe in myself, and I believe in you two and everyone else here. You're my friend; I depend on you for anything, especially what I have planned tomorrow."

Monkey rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "I need you two to spread the word to Crane, Viper and Mantis and make sure Tigress doesn't hear about this."

"Hear about what?" Po asked.

"The date I have planned for her tomorrow." Lin replied. "I'm planning on making it as romantic as I can possibly make it with all of your help."

"We'll do what we can Lin." Po said making Lin happy. "'Course, not all of us have any dating experience..."

"*cough*Song*cough*" Monkey choked out annoying Po a bit. "Anyway, we'll help you out Lin."

That alone put a smile on his face. "Huddle up you two, we have some work ahead of us..."


	48. Chapter 48

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 48  
>THE NIGHT OF THEIR LIVES<p>

1 day until the Geng Wu attack...

When she woke up, Tigress could practically feel the air heavy with tension. Geng Wu's attack was tomorrow, and for the first time, she felt somewhat afraid of fighting. She couldn't believe that; she was Tigress for crying out loud. She faced her rampaging half-brother. She fought against a peacock bent on total domination. No battle could ever scare her.

And yet she was scared. She was afraid not of the battle, but how she would react if she came face-to-face with those responsible for her parents' deaths. She was confident of her abilities (she and the others have trained well), but the idea of who she was going to fight made her hesitate.

Despite her worries, she just had to go through this day doing her final preparations for the fight. The morning gone sounded like it always did, and in one swift second, she and the others were out of their rooms. Their "Good morning master" was interrupted by a certain sight; Lin didn't emerge from his room.

Instead, there was a note on his door. It read: "Down at the village to do something. Will be back soon. -Lin"

"This isn't part of the plan." Crane whispered to the others.

"Where could he have gone?" Viper asked out loud.

Shifu cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "If Lin has important matters to deal with, then I guess we should let him. Geng Wu attacks tomorrow, and we must make this last day count."

His students nodded before heading off to breakfast. Everyone was wondering where Lin could've gone especially Tigress who noticed the others whispering to each other behind her back.

"He didn't tell anyone anything?" Po said making the others shake their heads.

"Maybe he's checking up on the place." Mantis suggested.

"No; the place is fine. Maybe he's looking for something to wear." Monkey said.

"Nah, Tigress never really was into clothes." Po commented.

"And just what are all of you whispering about?" Tigress said suddenly stopping and turning to the five of them. They all stopped in their track as she glared at them.

"We were just...uh...talking about..." Po scratched the back of his head nervously.

"The plan tomorrow!" Monkey yelled out getting an idea. Tigress seemed to buy it, but...

"And why am I not in this conversation?" she asked.

"Because Lin's not here!" Crane answered. "I mean, when we split up tomorrow, you're going to be with Po and Lin, so it would be kinda pointless to discuss your part."

Tigress raised an eyebrow and the others held their breaths. "In that case, it should also be pointless for Po to be with you." Said panda looked at the others before looking at Tigress.

Eventually, he walked away from them went to Tigress' side. As the group headed to the dinning hall, Tigress said: "I hope you don't mind if we spar first Po." The latter looked at the group behind him and gulped.

* * *

><p>Tigress was just as merciless as ever. A few minutes, she had slammed him on the ground several times all without looking into his eyes. "You're more durable than that Po. How about another round?" she asked him as he laid sprawled on the ground.<p>

"N...no more..." he replied weakly. As he laid there, Tigress heard the doors open. Looking up, she saw Lin enter the hall. She went over to him.

"Lin, where were you; I was worried when you didn't show this morning." she said.

"Yes. I'm sorry for that." Lin replied. "I was er...preparing for tonight." he blurted out.

"Tonight?" Tigress asked. Lin put a paw on her shoulder and walked with her.

He sighed before beginning. "Tigress, now that I think about it, we haven't exactly had a proper date haven't we?"

"Well...that first time didn't really count. That second once went..." She shuddered at that memory.

Lin bit his lip remembering that night. "Well, think of this as a way to make up for that, for all those years we were apart." He smiled at her. "So how about it Tigress? Would you have dinner with me?"

He continued to smile at her. His grin was starting to get contagious; she found one slowly forming on her as well. "I'd love to Lin; it's a date."

Lin gave her a hug after that. "We're leaving after this afternoon's training. You'd better be ready until then." He walked off with a laugh leaving Tigress to smile and resume her own training.

"Dude, what the hell? I got beaten up 'cause of you!" Po said from the ground. Lin hastily helped him to his feet and quickly apologized.

* * *

><p>For the first time, Tigress was worried about something she was never worried about before: her outfit.<p>

She did like her usual clothes; they were looked good on her and made practicing Kung Fu easier, but she wished she had something nicer to wear. This wasn't like her at all; Lin should be OK with anything she wore.

In the end, she went with her usual attire, but this time, she had her LinkStar half out. It was already evening and was just a few minutes away from her big date with Lin. The threat of Geng Wu still hung in the air, but would put it off for tonight; this night was theirs alone.

After brushing her fur a bit, she heard knocking on her door. She opened it and saw Lin, his LinkStar also out and with his arm extended towards her. "Ready for tonight Tigress?" he asked.

Grinning slightly, she took his paw and walked with him out of the barracks. "It's a good thing Master Shifu allowed this." Lin said as they walked.

"It is. Remember back when we were younger? We kept asking Master Oogway when we wanted to do something together." Tigress said reminiscing about old times.

"It was always much easier to get permission from him." Lin sighed. "I just hope he allows things other than tonight. I've a bad feeling he could end up one of those overprotective-father types."

"Lin, he trusts you. I'm sure he wouldn't worry about how you're treating me." Tigress said.

"That makes sense."

They eventually left the Jade Palace and made it down the stairs. The night was lovely and peaceful. It almost made them forget what was to happen the next day.

"So where exactly are we eating?" Tigress asked.

"In a special place that was prepared for just you and I." Lin replied.

Tigress looked at him confused, but decided to wait until they got to their location. To her delight and surprised, they arrived at a very familiar location to them. It looked pretty much the same, but it was a place that still meant something to them.

"The Jade Blossom?" Tigress said wide-eyed.

Lin just smiled and wordlessly guided her though the restaurant emerging a few moment later in a very familiar scene to them. It was just like back when they were younger. The trees strung with lanterns surrounding a candle-lit table under the stars.

"It's exactly like all those years ago." Tigress said amazed.

"No...it's even better." Lin told her as they went to their own table. They sat down and a waiter took their orders before leaving.

"I hope you're enjoying the evening so far." Lin said.

"I am. This is amazing Lin. How did you get this spot?" Tigress asked looking around.

Lin laughed. "It pays to be friends with the Dragon Warrior." He slid his paw across the table and met hers. He held it tightly. "Tigress..."

She sensed hesitation in his voice, which worried her. "Is something wrong Lin?"

The latter sighed. "I'm sorry; it's just...I hope you're not getting the wrong idea about all of this." He shrugged. "I saw how depressed you've been since last night, and I wanted to do something about it. I hope you don't think that I asked you out because I think we won't survive what will happen tomorrow."

"I don't think that Lin." she said reassuringly. "That hasn't crossed my mind ever since you asked me. This night belongs to us; no thought will ever change that. This is has been an amazing night so far; thank you."

Lin managed to laugh and shook his head. "Oh Tigress, you don't have to thank me. I just love seeing you smile."

That in turn made her smile at him. The waiter then arrived with their meals. He set them down and wished them a pleasant evening before leaving.

They ate in silence enjoying each other's presence. They would sometimes make eye contact, but unlike the times they did back then, neither of them looked away. Sometimes, Lin would just get lose in her eyes for so long, Tigress had to point out he had a noodle dangling from his mouth. Lin ate it up, and the two of them laughed.

As dinner stared to end, Tigress looked around. "Strange; didn't they have a band here?" she asked wondering where they were.

"Yes about that." Lin said beckoning someone inside the restaurant to come out. "Po and the others helped me plan all this, and they said they wanted to help out so..."

Tigress looked and saw Po and the rest of the five standing before them, instruments with each of them. "They insisted on being our band."

"Hey guys. Havin' a good time?" Po asked them carrying a guitar.

"Are you sure this was wise?" Tigress asked nervously to Lin.

"With all honesty, no. But they wanted this, so I say we just let them do their thing." He held her paws and gazed at her.

"Alright then." Po pulled out a small slip of paper. "We got a song request from that guy over there for that girl over there." he said enthusiastically. "OK guys... and..."

As soon as he hit his first note, it was very obvious he had no idea how to use a guitar. The sound actually caused everyone else to wince a bit. "Don't you know how to play that thing?" Mantis asked.

"Hang on; just needs a little tuning that's all." Po said tuning the guitar. He struck another note which was just as bad as the first.

"You're killing the moment here." Viper said annoyed. Po apologized before playing another note.

"Oh for the love of-" Lin sighed as he got up and went to Po who handed him the guitar. "It's more romantic this way anyway." he said tuning it a bit. After a while, he managed to start playing. As he did he smiled and walked to Tigress.

"We've been apart for more than 20 years Tigress." he told her. "I've spent those years suffering not only from what was done to me but also from what I wanted with me. These words express what I felt during all those years of pain."

"There was only one thing in my mind ever since I became a prisoner. In fact, it was there ever since I left the Valley of Peace. It's the most precious thing in the world to me, the greatest treasure I've ever found, something I'd live for, something I'd fight for, something I'd gladly die for..."

"...You..."

_As I watch you move, across the moonlit room_  
><em>There's so much tenderness in your loving<em>

The others started playing along with him as he sang. Tigress and Lin suddenly felt themselves be thrust back in time to when Lin had to leave her to fulfill his destiny.

_Tomorrow I must leave, the dawn knows no reprieve_  
><em>God give me strength when I am leaving<em>

She closed her eyes and let that memories take over. She remembered pleading with him to let him take her along, but he said that this road was his to walk alone. He had to leave her for a while but promised to return as fast as he could.

_So raise your hands to heaven and pray_  
><em>That we'll be back together someday<em>

She was patient and waited for that day they'd be back together. She spent hours of training just to help fulfill her destiny, to make him proud of her when he came home.

And then she thought he had died.

_Tonight, I need your sweet caress_  
><em>Hold me in the darkness<em>  
><em>Tonight, you calm my restlessness<em>  
><em>You relieve my sadness<em>

She remembered how broken and shattered she felt inside when she heard of his death, how she laid devastated screaming his name, hoping that he would miraculously show up to take the pain and loneliness away. The memory of the pain overwhelmed her, and she felt her eyes water a bit. She knew he felt that kind of loneliness and pain as well. None of them deserved any of that.

_As we move to embrace, tears run down your face_  
><em>I whisper words of love, so softly<em>

She remembered how he suddenly showed up in the middle of the night with terrible news, but the only thing she cared about was seeing him again.

_I can't believe this pain, it's driving me insane_  
><em>Without your touch, life will be lonely<em>

She opened her eyes and saw him before her smiling at her. She was always there for her to make her hurt go away. Since the time they were cubs to the present, he stayed true to that. He always did whatever it took to make her smile.

_So raise your hands to heaven and pray_  
><em>That we'll be back together someday<em>

As his voice rose to sing the chorus, she suddenly got up and went to him. She put her paws on his waist and pressed her forehead to his. Together, they sang.

_Tonight, I need your sweet caress_  
><em>Hold me in the darkness<em>  
><em>Tonight, you calm my restlessness<em>  
><em>You relieve my sadness<em>

During that moment, being so close to one another, none of them could describe the feeling. It was only when they were with each other that this feeling existed. This was their love; it was stronger than anything else in the world. Nothing, not 20 years of pain or loneliness, could ever break it.

_Morning has come, another day_  
><em>I must pack my bags and say goodbye... <em>

_So raise your hands to heaven and pray_  
><em>That we'll be back together someday<em>

_Tonight, I need your sweet caress_  
><em>Hold me in the darkness<em>  
><em>Tonight, you calm my restlessness<em>  
><em>You relieve my sadness<em>

By the time the song was over, they were staring into each others eyes. The others looked at them slightly teary eyed. Viper sniffed a bit and wiped a tear away.

"Lin...I..." She didn't know what to say.

He held her paw. "Misha, I've always loved you since the day we met. The love we shared as childhood friends soon blossomed into what we feel right now. It has withstood everything from time to the forces of destruction. I've loved you before...I love you now...And I will love you forever..."

Lin bent down to place the guitar on the floor, but he remained bent down on one knee. He suddenly pulled a ring out of his pocket and presented it to her.

"...Misha...Will you marry me...?"

The whole area froze with those last four words. Po and the rest of the group just stared at them holding their breaths; Lin said nothing about this to them. Jaws hanging, their eyes darting from Lin to Tigress and then back to him.

She suddenly tackled him to the ground. As Lin felt his back hit the floor, he felt her lips kissing him deeply while her paws held his arms tightly. "You didn't have to ask Lin; of course I'll marry you!" she cried out beaming with joy.

Happiness unlike anything before overwhelmed him. He put his arms around her and kissed her. The others cheered and shouted out happy for the two of them. Viper was squealing with glee, and Mantis shouted at a nearby waiter to fetch a drink while the others gather around the couple. After a while, the two of them got up, and Tigress put on the ring.

"Where...how did you even afford this?" she asked still beaming. The ring was beautiful.

"Remember that kid I saved from Fenghuang? His parents said they still owed me." he explained. "I went to them a while ago and asked if I could use their forge."

"Wait..." Tigress looked from him to the ring. "You made this?"

He smiled and nodded. "I wanted to put at least a jewel on it, but I didn't have any on hand..."

"Lin, it's perfect the way it is." She gave him a hug.

"Aww. This is so sweet." Viper said. "And so unfair!" she suddenly shouted starling everyone. "I always thought I'd be the first to get married! Why can't I find a nice decent guy who knows how to treat a girl right?!"

"Uh...maybe you just need to uh...look somewhere closer to home..." Crane said sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

"I...What...?" Viper asked wondering if she heard that right.

The others however weren't paying attention to them and instead continued on celebrating. "Aw man, Shifu's gonna flip when he hears about this." Po said excitedly.

"And what exactly do you mean by 'flip'?" Shifu said suddenly dropping from the branches of a nearby tree

"M-master?" Lin asked. The joy in the air suddenly evaporated as Shifu walked to them, a stern look on his face. Lin let go of Tigress. "Master... I swear I was planning to tell you about this." he stammered. "I...look...you see I..."

"I don't doubt you Lin." Shifu said shutting him up. "You are an excellent student and a fine man, but if you so much as consider doing anything that would hurt Tigress..." He was very intimidating for someone so small; Lin backed away and gulped a bit. "I think you understand what awaits you."

"I do master." Lin responded. Shifu stared at him for a few more seconds before turning to Tigress who backed up a bit. He surveyed her for several seconds before easing up and crossing his arms.

"Good; in that case, you both have my blessings." he said smiling at the two. The joy in the area suddenly returned as fast as it vanished temporarily. Brimming with happiness, Lin picked his future father-in-law and hugged him earning cheers all around.

Eventually, the waiter arrived with their drinks. Po poured everyone a glass and held his up. "Alright guys, to Tigress and Lin! May they love each other forever and stuff...Anyway cheers!"

They had their toast to the couple. This was truly an amazing night for them; nothing could possibly ruin it.

* * *

><p>The air was hot and carried the scent of blood. Tigress's body was aching all over. Her arms and legs were covered in numerous cuts, bruises and burns; her mouth tasted her own blood. Panting heavily, she looked around seeing the fallen bodies of warriors, their blood watering the earth.<p>

In front of her stood a tall shadowy figure of a wolf carrying a long sword. For some reason, she felt herself unable to look into its eyes. It raised its sword ready to fight; snarling slightly, she rose to her feet, preparing to fight back.

She charged at him but accidentally met his eyes. Images flashed before her eyes causing her to back away. Unfortunately the wolf slashed at her making a deep cut on her chest.

The blow caused her to stumble and fall on her back. She scrambled away from the wolf who approached her, his sword drawn. Panicking, Tigress saw him raise his sword over his head ready to deliver the killing blow. She raised her arms as if that could shield her from the blow.

A second later, she heard the sound of steel piercing flesh and felt blood cover her. Surprisingly, there was no pain at all. Was she already dead? She gingerly opened her eyes to see what happened.

In front of her was her husband-to-be, a sword right through where his heart was. The sword was withdrawn causing Lin to fall before her, his eyes staring blankly into nothingness.

Horror, fear, agony, despair, fury, loneliness, every possible negative emotion consumed her mind. She paw moved to the side a bit feeling a sword dropped by one of the fallen warrior. Screaming her head off with tears flowing down her face, she grabbed it and rushed at the wolf.

Mysterious shadowy figures appeared between them, But Tigress merely swung her sword and cut them down. With nothing in her way, she rammed the wolf with her shoulder. The two tumbled around for a bit until he was on his back with her right on top of him.

Screaming once again, she plunged her sword again and again and again into his chest. After about a minute, she finally stopped and fell to her side panting heavily. To her surprise, she heard laughing coming from the wolf who was supposed to be dead. The shock of it made her look up seeing him raise a finger to point at something before them.

Po, Shifu, the others...they were all on the ground deadly still, bleeding from wounds on their bodies. Horrified, Tigress looked down at her own paws seeing their blood on them as well as the wolf's.

As the laughter continued, she screamed into the night so loud, she thought her head might split.

* * *

><p>Tigress opened her eyes and found herself back in her room, but the memory of the nightmare and its horrors kept her paralyzed. She stared at the ceiling, her body trembling slightly from the shock of what she just experienced; there was no way she was getting any more sleep.<p>

The date had ended hours ago, and the others should already be fast asleep. Tigress threw off her blanket and silently left her room heading for the one person who could give her any comfort. To her surprise, his room was empty.

She had to find him. She left the barracks and searched all over the palace eventually finding him at Peach Tree Hill. He was lying on his mat, covered by a blanket staring at the stars wondering if everyone would be OK the next day. He heard her approach and looked up.

"Can't sleep?" he asked. When she shook her head, he moved over a bit to his left. Tigress understood this and laid down next to him. Holding his paw tightly, she joined him as they stared at the stars.

"Lin...?" she said turning her head to him. He did the same, and the two stared into each others' eyes before she finished. "I'm scared."

She knew she sounded childish and hated herself for it. Lin just sighed and placed a paw on her cheek. "That's understandable." he said.

"Is it like this before every attack you try to stop?" she asked him.

"It is." he replied. "The fear of whether I would be able to stop an attack or not always kept me up right before the attack."

"That's not the only thing I fear." she told him. Her voice shook slightly. She wasn't used to being this scared about something. She always appeared to be so fearless in the face of danger, but this danger was different. "I'm afraid that the our home and everyone in it will be destroyed. I'm afraid that I'll lose you or anyone of the others."

"But...what...what frightens me the most..." Her breath became ragged, and she found herself unable to speak. Seeing this, Lin pulled her close and let her head rest on his chest, one strong, protective arm around her. That was enough to calm her down.

"I'm afraid...I'll become a monster again."

She felt her eyes water but fought back the tears. Lin sighed and held her tightly, stroking her back gently. "You're not a monster Misha." he said.

"It doesn't mean I might not become one." she said. "I don't think I'd be able to handle it if I lost anyone of you to him..."

Lin was afraid she would start crying, something he hated seeing her do, but she remained strong. He gently held her chin and made her look up at him. "If it's anything Misha, I'm just as terrified of losing someone tomorrow as you are. It's never been like this for me before."

She stared at him for a while. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, his eyes shone with sadness. "I was alone during all the earlier attacks I fought in. But this time, I have you and the others to protect. Without my reflexes...I'm beginning to doubt myself." The sadness in his eyes turned into determination. "But that doesn't mean, I won't fight to the very end tomorrow to protect our home and the future I want to spend with you."

Tigress saw the change in his eyes and understood. Though the fear remained, she tried to channel it into something else. She didn't let it bother her; instead she turned it into the same kind of determination Lin had, into the desire to protect everything and everyone she loved.

But looking into each others' eyes, they could tell that a small amount of fear remained in their hearts. As motivated as they were, that small part would always remain within them. For a long time, they stared at each other, an evening breeze blowing gently.

Tigress then moved up and kissed him. She grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him close to her. He responded by gripping her back tightly. The kiss was very deep and very passionate. Eventually after about a minute, they both had to stop to get some air. Panting from all that, they just stared at each other, their hearts hammering in their chests.

"I don't want to be afraid tonight." Tigress whispered. Lin moved in and pressed his forehead against hers while holding her cheek, wordlessly saying that he wanted the same thing and asking what he could do to help her. Tigress closed her eyes and placed her paw over the one on her cheek. "Take me now Lin...I want to be yours tonight..."

After a slight paused, he gave her a light kiss and gazed into her eyes. "I love you..." he told her.

She blinked and managed a small smile, the first she had ever since arriving. "I love you too..."

The kiss after that was just as deep and passionate as the first one. As it intensified, their paws that were gripping the other tightly, began moving around, never wanting to let go, always wanting to be held by the paw that would fit them perfectly. And, ready to give themselves fully to the other, Tigress and Lin's love blossomed under the starry night.

_Tonight, I need your sweet caress_  
><em>Hold me in the darkness<em>  
><em>Tonight, you calm my restlessness<em>  
><em>You relieve my sadness...<em>

* * *

><p>The song above was Hands to Heaven by Breath.<p> 


	49. Chapter 49

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 49  
>THE ATTACK<p>

Groggily, Lin opened his eyes seeing the sky covered in grey clouds, an indication that it was going to be pouring soon. He slowly sat up and scratched his head as he looked around. He was still on his mat under Peach Tree Hill. He looked down and saw that the only thing he had on was his LinkStar.

Turning his head to his right, he saw his clothes laid to one side. Looking to his left, he saw Tigress, his future wife, still fast asleep with her back towards him. He gently ran his paw down her arm smiling as he remembered their wonderful time the previous night.

And then the cold, hard, bitter reality slapped him in the face, wiping his grin right off.

"Oh damn..."

Lin started shaking her shoulder hurriedly. "Tigress...Wake up. Wake up. Wake Up!"

"Huh? Wh-what-" she said startled at being awoken so suddenly. She, like him, was wearing nothing but the LinkStar around her neck.

Being in a hurry, Lin cut to the chase. "Any minute now, the gong will sound, and Master Shifu will expect us to be at our rooms."

It took her several seconds to let his words sink in. Then, her eyes widened, and she was suddenly wide awake. Cursing, she threw the blanket covering them off and, they started putting their clothes back on.

"I can't believe this..." Lin muttered frustratingly as he pulled his pants up. "I'm hours away from a Geng Wu attack, and here I am covering up for myself like I'm some-"

He was suddenly interrupted when Tigress grabbed his head, turning it towards her and planted a kiss on his lips. After about three seconds, she pulled away. "Lin, that was the best night of my life, and I have no regrets."

She turned away and started securing her vest in place. Grinning slightly, Lin fixed up his pants and moved on to his shirt.

It took them a minute to go from sleeping naked to fully clothed and wide awake. After gathering up Lin's things, they hurried back to the barracks. They tip-toes back to their respective rooms and slid the doors closed quietly. Exactly one second after that, the gong sounded.

Ina split second, Lin threw his stuff into his room and left it to join the others. His and Tigress's "Good morning master." was a little louder than the others', but no one seemed to notice. As they left the barracks, the two of them caught up with each other.

"No one seems to suspect a thing." Tigress said quietly swelling her eyes around.

"That's good." Lin said. They then made eye contact with each other. Holding her paw, Lin began to smile and laugh slightly, still unable to believe that they were able to get away with that.

"Seriously you two?" The couple turned and saw behind them Viper, a pout on her face. "I mean, I get it that we all might not make it today, but you guys aren't married yet; I don't think Shifu would like it if he found you two fooling around like that."

"I've no idea what you're talking about Viper." Tigress said crossing her arms.

Viper rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out. At first, Tigress felt a offended by that, but then she realized she was tasting the air. "Please, I can smell you two practically all over each other."

Silently, Tigress and Lin locked eyes with one another before turning to Viper. "You can plan the wedding." Lin said quickly.

"Deal." Viper said slithering away. The two of them followed her not saying anything.

The seven of them ate breakfast quietly, mentally preparing themselves for the ordeal they would have to face. Several times, Lin found himself looking at them, his family, willing to defend each of them with his life.

Po cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "So uh listen...If uh...If I don't make it today..." He gave a deep sigh. "I just want you to know that...It was awesome...getting to know all you guys..."

"No one is dying today Po." Tigress told him. "Not if I have anything to say about it." She turned to her food. "I don't plan on losing any of you today."

Lin put an arm around her and squeezed tightly. Just then, a gong sounded several times as if it was an alarm. The seven of them looked at each other wondering if this might be their last meal together. After several more seconds, they all got up and left, ready to fight.

They met with Shifu in the Hall of Warriors. The door was wide open, letting in cold wind that signified an oncoming storm. As they arrived, Zeng flew in, crashed before Shifu and hastily stood up. "M-master! The valley is surrounded! There are catapults loaded and ready to fire any minute!"

The tension in the air increased; this was it. "I see. Zeng, tell the entire valley to go into hiding. Tell them to stay hidden indoors until this is dealt with. And inform the imperial army; tell them to send assistance at once!"

Zeng nodded and hurried flew off. Shifu sighed and turned to his students. "You have all trained well for this moment." he told them. "You seven are among the greatest warriors in China; I have no doubts in your ability to protect the Valley of Peace."

"Geng Wu has threatened to destroy our home as he did to countless others. His terror ends today." He turned and pointed outside. "Go! Make history remember this day to be the day Geng Wu is defeated once and for all!"

With a loud cry, every ran past him, everyone but Lin who hesitated at first. He then ran back to his master, got down and grabbed his shoulder. "Master, should we fail, you're the last hope this valley has." he told him. "Please, Geng Wu must not destroy this palace."

Shifu nodded. "I am aware of my duty. Go Lin; your home needs you..." he said.

Lin took a deep breath and hugged the man who was his master and a father to him before running off. Shifu watched the retreating figures of his students before beginning to lock up the palace.

"Be safe...all of you..."

* * *

><p>By the time they reached the village, the villagers were already in full panic mode. Screaming echoing through the air, several villagers were packing their things and running indoors. Several children who were separated from their parents stood sobbing in the middle of the chaos.<p>

But the sight of the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior rushing through to save the day was enough to give hope to everyone. As the seven of them ran, Crane called their attention and pointed up sky adorned with dark storm clouds and fireballs.

The attack had begun.

"They're attacking the main entrance to the valley!" Lin shouted unsurprised by this. The group made their way to the valleys main entrance as fast as they could. There, they would split up and follow the plan. While Crane and Viper helped the villagers evacuate, Mantis and Monkey would work together to take out the catapults. The would later meet with Lin, Tigress and Po who would clear out a path towards Geng Wu.

About halfway there, they could already see the first signs of destruction. Several houses were already on fire after being hit by a few fireballs. Residents hastily fled the burning buildings carrying loved ones and precious belongings. Knowing their duty, Viper and Crane rushed in to bring as many villagers to safety as they could before rejoining the group.

As they passed by a building, a fireball hit a building setting it instantly ablaze. Tigress was right next to it when it happened, but she jumped away just in time to avoid getting hurt.

She suddenly had a flashback. She found herself back in her old village with the same scene of destruction around her. This caused her to suddenly stop running and stare wide-eyed at the chaos around her. The flames, the screams, they were all too familiar to her.

She felt someone shaking her and calling her name, but they sounded like they were at the end of a tunnel. It was only when she heard her real name did she finally snap out of her trance. She blinked several times and found herself back in the Valley of Peace. Lin was shaking her while they others stayed put.

Tigress shook her head and regained her focus. "I'm sorry I..." she stammered.

Lin sighed and told the group that they needed to get going. With Tigress behind them, they continued on towards the main entrance helping as many villagers on the way as they could.

As they neared their destination, the damage worsened. When they finally saw the main gates, they were barely standing. Then one fireball later, they were completely blasted apart. The group halted and watched as a large group of warriors charged through the gates and headed right for them.

* * *

><p>A boar ran past several tents until he reached the largest tent in the camp. He entered it keeping his eyes on the ground and knelt before his master, seated on a large wooden chair. "M-my lord. It's just as you said. The Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior have come to interfere."<p>

Geng Wu gripped his sword without saying anything. This was going as he expected so far. "There is more..." the boar continued. "It seems that...Lin the Great has joined them to protect the valley..."

"Of course he would; this is his home after all." Geng Wu said. He stood up and pointed at his servant. "Execute the plan to be rid of them once and for all."

The boar bowed one last time before leaving to do just that. Geng Wu sat back down on his chair waiting for the news that the Furious Five, the Dragon Warrior and Lin have been defeated.

* * *

><p>"Viper, Crane, start getting villagers to safety. Monkey, Mantis, get over those walls and take out those catapults. Po, Lin." Tigress looked to her sides and saw the two of them already in their battle stances. She stared at the group of warriors ahead of them bracing herself for the fight of her life.<p>

"Everyone move!" Crane yelled out suddenly. Everyone didn't have time to check and reacted instinctively as they jumped apart from each other. If they'd been a second later, they would've been hit by the fireball that landed right in their midst. Thanks to Crane's warning, no one seemed t be hurt.

Unfortunately, the group of warriors started getting closer to them. Even if Viper, Crane, Monkey and Mantis tried to do their respective tasks, they would have to go through those warriors first. Pounding the ground angrily with his fist, Lin was the first to get up and rushed at the small army threatening the valley.

The first blow he avoided was an axe that nearly split his head in two. He kicked that warrior aside before being swarmed by several others. He blocked and evaded as many blows and strikes as he could, but started to feel overwhelmed. Plus something was different this time around.

With not much time to think about it, he gave a leopard an uppercut followed by a kick that knocked him into another group of warriors. As he landed, he immediately ducked as a sword came over his head. As he prepared himself to counter attack, Tigress came in and delivered a flying kick to the warrior. Looking around, he saw Po and the rest of the five join the fight.

He then got set to working with Tigress. She kicked a warrior to him, and he caught him and threw him into another group. Lin then moved next to Tigress and started blocking and deflecting blows headed their way while she busied herself with countering them. "Something's wrong about all this." Lin told her as she punched the wolf aside.

"What do you mean?" Tigress said not noticing anything.

"Back when I fought them alone, they were just savage brutes, fighting mainly on instinct without any sense of style." he said as they fought some more. "Fighting them now...it's as if they trained for this fight."

"Could Geng Wu have used the Thousand Scrolls to train his army?" Tigress asked breaking formation. She looked around seeing the others busy with their own battles. The group's numbers dwindled slowly as the fight dragged on into several minutes. It took a long time for the seven of them to mop up the rest of the group.

"And...that's the last of 'em." Po said exhausted as he knocked out the last of Geng Wu's best warriors. All seven of them were really tired.

"I don't see any more villagers around; they must've all gone to safety by now." Viper added checking the area for anyone who could've been left behind.

"Good." Lin said, his legs started to ache a little. He looked around seeing signs of destruction from the fireballs; it was almost like every other attack he held back. "With them gone, Geng Wu must already be issuing the order to retrea-"

"Uh...Lin..." Po said pointing at the village entrance. "I don't think he's retreating!"

Everyone else's eyes widened at the sight. Lin turned around and did the same upon seeing hundreds, thousands of warriors rush through the gates and head right for them. His jaw dropped as he took as step forward wondering if he was seeing this right; he had never fought Geng Wu's entire army before.

"How big was his army again Lin?" Monkey asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. Two, maybe three thousand." Lin said not taking his eyes off the horde.

"Ah, we fought more than that once. This'll be cakewalk compared to that." Mantis said cracking his pincers ready for another round.

Lin looked at his companions tired and weary but still eager to fight. He looked at Tigress who gave him a reassuring nod. He turned towards the army which was getting closer and closer to them. Clenching his fists, he entered his stance and charged in at them with the others.

Fighting an entire army was a whole new experience for him. He had only held back large groups, but never ones that numbered to the thousands. It seemed like with every one warrior he took out, ten more took his place. He thought that he was wasting his strength on fighting all of them. Added to the fact that his legs were aching, he thought that taking on Geng Wu in that state would be a very bad idea.

The others were doing much better than him. Viper had resorted to her style of taking control of some of the soldiers and making them fight their allies. Some archers tried raining arrows on them only to be defeated by Crane and Monkey. Many of the warriors underestimated Po and Mantis due to their size, but they were proven wrong when they were knocked unconscious by them.

Tigress, noticing how much trouble Lin was in, moved in to provide support. As he dropped to his knees and clutched his burning legs, she stood before him and took out anyone who dared to hurt him. After resting for a while, he got up and blocked the arm of a wolf that tried to stab his back. He kicked him in the stomach and suddenly felt something long and metallic wrap around his left wrist.

In the split second it took her him to realize that it was a chain, he had already been violently yanked way from Tigress. He looked up at the ox holding the other end of the chain and punched with his free paw only to be blocked. The ox backed up and pulled once more, causing Lin to fall and hit the ground face-first.

"Lin!" Tigress shouted trying to get to him, but warriors came between them, blocking her path. "Someone help Lin!" she shouted as she fought them off.

"Kinda busy here Tigress!" Crane shouted as he held off several warriors at once. Everyone else seemed to be too busy to help Lin who was still struggling to break free.

A knee slammed into his stomach forcing him to hit the ground in pain. After crouching for a few seconds, another warrior tried putting a chain around his other wrist. Lin smashed that fist into his jaw but was once again yanked aside by the other chain. This gave another warrior enough time to secure the chain and force Lin to his knees.

"No!" Tigress yelled barreling past several more warriors to get to him, as she neared him, one of the warriors around Lin drew his sword and held it to his neck.

"Freeze!" he shouted, and the whole battlefield grew still The rest of the defenders saw the situation Lin was in.

"Let him go." Tigress ordered.

"Take one step and I'll slit his neck." the ox said.

"No you won't." Tigress said shaking her head. "Geng Wu wants to kill him himself. Let him go now!"

The ox laughed which only infuriated Tigress. The others stood behind her watching the situation tense and agitated. "You don't scare us; none of you do!" he shouted. "It's you who should be fearing us!"

"Let him go, or I'll give you a reason to fear us." Tigress warned. Clenching his fists, Lin looked around trying to find a way out of this. "I said-"

"He was wrong; if there's anyone you should fear, it's me."

Tigress and Lin both froze upon hearing that hauntingly familiar female voice that seemed to turn their blood into ice. The others looked at them wondering what was wrong with them.

It just couldn't be...

"Oh Lin...you're as pathetic and clueless as ever. You think you're so smart hatching a plan to take out my master, but there are still things you didn't count on."

All the anger within Tigress vanished and was replaced by pure shock and horror. Lin had the very same reaction as her. They were both trying to deny it, that this isn't what they feared it was.

"Think about it Lin. The whole reason you got blown up at Heng Mountain was because my master learned the the mission to kill you failed and that the back-up would be put into action."

"But ask yourself something...How exactly _did _my master know that the back-up plan was to be used? There were only so few among us that knew about it, so the only logical explanation is that the one who told my master was the very same person who knew everything, from where you live to everyone you care about."

The guards began to part ways as if someone very important was approaching.

"I've faked many things in my line of work...My name...my intentions...my entire identity...But thanks to the opportunity you provided I managed to pull my what I think is my greatest feat to date."

The last of the guards parted and a hooded and cloaked person walked in their midst. Both Lin and Tigress stared wide-eyed as the mouth under the turned into a grin at the sight of the shock and horror on their faces. After several tense seconds, the person ripped the cloak off making it blow away in the wind. This was followed by a sudden flash of lightning that illuminated her face.

She was the same as over twenty years ago. Same amber eyes, same dark green dress with long wide sleeves, same long white pants adorned with rose patterns.

"I have faked death." Mai Li said with that same evil smile.


	50. Chapter 50

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 50  
>THE SIX<p>

"What's wrong? You two look like you've seen a ghost." Mai Li taunted laughing in that same maniacal way.

"You...you can't be alive..." Tigress said taking a step back. Neither she nor Lin could understand how she could be alive all this time. Mai Li continued to laugh at the expression on her face, an expression she hadn't seen on any of them for over 20 years.

"Uh...Tigress...mind telling us what's going on?" Po asked.

Mai Li saw him and approached him. "So this is the great and mighty Dragon Warrior" She surveyed him from head to foot. "For someone who defeated Shen before any of us could...you seem rather...unimpressive." Mai Li shrugged and shook her head. "I honestly didn't see the need of being bothered by you."

"Uh huh...So you know about me..." Po said.

"You bet I do." she replied. "I know about all of you." she spoke to the rest of the five. "Every victory you've had, everyone you've fought, every minute you think you're safe is being watched. There are spies loyal to my master in every village, town and city in China, and they all report to me."

"I am Mai Li, top spy, master assassin, and right hand of Geng Wu." She flashed a wicked smile and took a look at Tigress and Lin taking in again their shock. "And, as far as those two are concerned, a ghost."

"But I assure you, I'm no ghost. In fact, after seeing the looks on your faces..." Mai Li walked over to Lin who continued to stare at her wide-eyed. She grabbed the fur on his head and yanked his face close to her. "I've never felt so alive..."

A growl came from Tigress's throat as she assumed her stance. "Get your paws off him." she warned.

Mai Li walked towards her. "I see you're as protective of him as ever." She then stopped upon seeing it on Tigress's finger, her ring. "No way; you have to be joking me." She looked from Tigress to Lin and back to her letting out a laugh. "This is just too perfect. Looks like there's been so many changes since I was here eh Misha?"

Tigress snarled. "You don't have the right to call me that." Only those close to her did.

"I'll call you what I want when I want." Mai Li said jabbing her finger at her. She walked over and grabbed Lin again. "As long as I've got him, you can't touch me."

"I...I saw you fall into the Devil's Mouth..." Lin said. "How could you have survived?"

Mai Li pulled away from him and laughed maniacaly once more before telling.

_Flashback..._

_"Good-bye Lin..."_

_"NO!"_

_She just suddenly slipped through his grip. Lin's arm was still stretched towards her as she plummeted into the Devil's Mouth. After a while, she was enveloped by the fog and was never seen again._

_Once she thought that she had fallen long enough to be covered by the fog, Mai Li go to work. She grabbed the front part of her cloak with her paws and the back end with her toes. Taking a deep breath, she spread her arms and legs as far apart as she could.  
><em>

_It took a while for her makeshift parachute to work. Eventually, she felt her fall start to slow down making her grin a bit. But she was still coming down fast and felt herself drift sideways. Gritting her teeth, she tried to steer herself to make sure she came down at an angle._

_The strong rain and mist obscured Mai Li's vision. Eventually, she saw large pointed rock spires, indicating that she was nearing the ground. Hoping that she wouldn't fall on any of them, she maneuvered her way past several spires before finally bracing herself for impact._

_She hit the ground chin fist. Upon impact she began to roll very quickly across the rocky ground unaware of her surroundings. She soon hit a spire, smashing it to pieces while slowing her movements and making her body ache more than it already it. After that, she slowly came to a stop._

_She was cold and wet and wounded and didn't have the strength to do anything. She stared blankly before her, her vision getting darker and dark by the second, until she saw something, two orange lights making their way towards her. Eventually, she was discovered by two boars who carried lanterns and couldn't believe what they were seeing._

_"I don't believe it...she actually showed up!" one of them exclaimed._

_His companion hit his arm. "Don't just stand there; help her!" his companion shouted. The two of them rushed to her side to give her aid. As one of them neared her, Mai Li suddenly grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt making him give out a startled cry._

_"Send a message...to the master..." she said through gritted teeth while her consciousness began to slip ."The back-up plan is to be used and...Give a message to Lin..."_

_The boar nodded nervously and listened to her message. Mai Li then took one last look upwards at where Lin was still clutching Tigress on the bridge. She manged an evil smile and one last cackle before finally passing out._

_Much later..._

_A knock came upon his door, and one of Geng Wu's warriors entered it. He made his way to his master, seated on his throne making sure to avoid eye contact before kneeling. "Master, I have received word from Mai Li...the back-up plan is to be performed."_

_Geng Wu sighed; apparently, the job was too much for her to handle. She would obviously be punished, but, being a very faithful servant and excellent spy, he decided not to kill her. Without a single word to the warriors, Geng Wu rose and headed for the back end of the room._

_He ripped open the curtain and found a dummy and a cloak lying on top of several barrels of gunpowder. Geng Wu donned the cloak and placed the dummy on the throne where it would fool everyone else, including Lin. As he prepared to leave, he saw the warrior head to the back, a small parchment in his hand._

_"What it that?" Geng Wu asked sharply._

_"I well...Mai Li said she had a message for Lin when he arrives." His master said nothing, so he guesses that he approved of it. He walked on over to the curtain that concealed the barrels and stuck a message on it, Mai Li's one final insult to the lynx._

_You're far too nice for your own good Lin._

_End of flashback..._

"I still can't believe that actually worked!" Mai Li cried out with glee. Her face suddenly softened. "'Maybe there was a part of me...that fell in love with you...'"

"I can't believe you actually fell for that! You should've seen the look on your face! It was so priceless!" She started laughing at Lin. "I never get tired of that face, of anyone actually believing the crap I say! If you'd just accepted me as your enemy and didn't believe me, you wouldn't be in this mess wouldn't you?! You're just as stupid and weak and pathetically kind as ever Lin!"

"All those times we spent together...they really meant nothing to you didn't they..." Lin dared to ask.

Mai Li pulled back and held her chin in deep thought. "Hmm, does this answer your question?"

She suddenly drew her claws and violently swatted his face leaving several bleeding gashed on his left cheek. As she laughed maniacally, Tigress growled and tensed herself ready to fight.

"Fine then..." Lin said. His eyes showed hurt but not from the wounds on his cheek "Next time...I won't hesitate..." Mai Li just grinned before turning, her face turning into a look of rage.

"And as for you, it took me days to recover from the fight and a month to recover from master's punishment!" Mai Li shouted angrily pointing at Tigress. "You put me through all that crap by showing up and ruining the plan! I had to beg master to let me in on this attack just so I can feel your blood on my paws Misha! And since I'm standing here, I think you know what this means."

Tigress snarled and clenched her fists. "Everyone...get back. This is my fight." Tigress said taking a step forward only to be stopped when Po put his paw on her shoulder.

"Are you kidding? That girl's crazy." Po said tilting his head in Mai Li's direction. "You have to be as crazy as her if you wanna take her all by yourself."

"If she's that determined to kill you, then you'll need all the help you'll get Tigress." Crane said taking a stand as did the others.

Tigress looked at all of them determined to fight by her. "Everyone..."

Unfortunately, the sight only made Mai Li laugh. "Hah! You won't be able to help her. Not when you have your own fights to deal with."

"Hey we beat your thugs before and we can do it again!" Mantis yelled back.

Mai Li laughed once more even harder this time. "Believe me, these 'thugs' are nothing compared to what we have in store for you."

Mai Li took a step forward and spoke with an evil grin. "When we stole those scrolls from the palace half a year ago, we managed to steal the ones containing a certain kind of knowledge...your fighting styles. That, combined with the memory of the one you fought that night, gave us all we needed to train our army against you."

"But my master thought further than that. He search all corners of the world and found Kung Fu masters willing to fight for us. We gathered them together and trained them to do one thing: counter your fighting styles. All of them are now here, ready to kill you."

"Just learning how to fight them through scrolls and memory isn't enough." Lin said confident in their capabilities. "They're the strongest warriors I know; they won't lose no matter what you send at them!"

Mai Li turned to him. "As naive as ever. Why don't I let them demonstrate what they can do?"

Mai Li slowly lifted her paw. "First of all, I'd like to introduce you to whom some of us call...the Anti-Crane." she said before snapping her fingers.

A brown blur suddenly shot from the crowd behind Mai Li and into the sky. Everyone, especially Crane, looked up to see someone stop suddenly in midair wings spread before diving at starling speed. That very same someone landed perfectly in front of Mai Li sending up a cloud of dust in the process.

It was a bald eagle wearing a light brown vest and was apparently female. She looked up and surveyed the surprised faces of the five eventually singling out Crane.

"Oh..." she said liking what she saw. "Mai Li...why didn't you tell me this Crane guy looked so cute?" She fanned herself with her wing, her face slightly flushed.

"Oh uh...thanks?" Crane said awkwardly. For some reason, Viper hissed at her annoyed. This girl was supposed to kill him?

"Oh sorry. Kinda distracted here." she laughed nervously. "Anyway, I'm Master Tria, and I have to say, you got some really things here in China. The scenery's cool, the food's great...the guys are cute..." she said winking at Crane.

Mai Li cleared her throat. "Just do your job." she ordered.

"Oh yeah; sorry about that." Tria apologized before turning to Crane. "Alright then cutie; let's dance."

She suddenly rushed at Crane who had to fly back to avoid getting hit. Everyone watched as the two of them took to the sky, exchanging blows as they did. As much as Crane tried to hit her, he kept having his blows blocked by Tria.

She really didn't seem to know his every move. As he swung his wing at her only to be blocked by hers. He narrowly avoided a swipe of her talons and flew away to get some distance between them. Unfortunately, Tria caught up with him talons raised. He swung his wing at her, but was anticipating that.

At the last second, she ducked and slashed his chest with her talons. Everyone on the ground gasped as Crane began to plummet. Eyes watering in pain, he looked and saw Tria fly towards him. She tucked her wings in for a while, and when she spread them, she suddenly transformed into a massive eagle three times her size. Letting out an ear-piercing shriek that only eagles can make, she grabbed him in her huge talons and drove him into an empty house leveling it instantly.

"Crane!" Viper screamed rushing to his aid. She had only gone about a foot when she felt something wrap around her tail and violently yank her back. She turned and gasped along with everyone else at what stood before her.

It was a massive snake, an anaconda, something none of them have ever seen before. He was like, eight times Viper's length and several times thicker as well. His scales were a poisonous dark green, and his eyes were golden.

"Sick her Boa." Mai Li ordered.

Boa obeyed and lunged at Viper who managed to strike his face with her tail. Boa shook his head and hissed at her as if that blow meant nothing to him. He then attempted to coil around her; Viper, being smaller and thinner, managed to avoid getting crushed and slipped right out of his grasp. Moving past him, she looked back to check if he noticed her pass which was a big mistake.

She suddenly felt something large and heavy smack her head knocking her to the ground. Dazed slightly, Viper looked up and saw Boa's tail in a knot acting like a make-shift hammer. He removed them knot and manged to coil around Viper's body. She felt his body constrict around her, and as Boa started to squeeze the air out of her, he looked into her eyes.

"What'sssss wrong girl?" he asked, his voice hissing with malice. Viper felt her surroundings fade, but she could still hear him. "Perhapsssss if you had lived in the wild, you wouldn't be sssso weak..."

His evil eyes were the last things Viper saw before passing out. "That's two out of the five take out. Now which one of you wants to go next?" Mai Li asked them. "Better yet, why don't I just decide that for you!"

Mantis felt something grab his back. The next second, he felt himself suddenly pulled into the sky. After panicking a bit, he slammed his elbow repeatedly into his attacker until he finally let him go. He was relieved but then remembered that he was mid-air. He began to plummet to the ground with no means of controlling himself.

As he did, he got a glimpse of his attacker, a Norfolk Hawker (a kind of dragonfly). He had green eyes and a brown body. Unafraid, Mantis kicked only to be blocked. His opponent swung his tail at him, but Mantis managed to duck. It was then that he noticed just how close he was to the ground.

He managed to land on his feet thought the impact stunned him for a while. He looked up and saw the dragonfly head towards him and instinctively kicked. Using his tail, the dragonfly swatted away the blow and spun around to strike Mantis's face, sending him airborne.

The dragonfly flew in and caught Mantis before slamming him into the wall of a nearby house, toppling it over. Mantis felt his vision turn foggy, but his opponent took time to whisper in his ear.

"Remembered my name you fool. I am Abasi, and I have defeated you." was the last thing Mantis head before passing out.

Another figure came out of the crowd behind Mai Li and darted towards Monkey, a koala wearing dark maroon clothes carrying a thick tree stump with a few leaves. "Destroy him Banjora!" Mai Li ordered.

Monkey performed a flying kick; Banjora used his stump to launch himself over Monkey landing gracefully behind him. Monkey back flipped over him and punched only to be blocked once more by the stump. Monkey followed this by a flurry of jabs and kicks, each one blocked by that annoying stump.

When Monkey tried kicking, Banjora propped himself on his stump before kicking Monkey himself. As the latter staggered back, Banjora launched jumped back and pulled something out of his pocket, a round, dark green object the size of a marble. He threw it at the ground before Monkey where it let out a cloud of green smoke and a few leaves.

"So minty..." Monkey said slightly dazed by the scent. "What is this stuff?"

"Eucalyptus." Banjora replied rushing towards him. Monkey was helpless as Banjora punched his face and struck his chin with his stump. As Monkey hit the ground, Banjora jumped on his chest, raised his stump and struck his forehead knocking him out.

Mai LI smiled at how things were going. "How about you Dragon Warrior? Ready to meet your worst enemy?"

Po growled a bit angry at what happened to his friends. "Bring it!" he yelled charging at her. Mai Li turned behind her and yelled out: "Kiho!"

Po slowed down a bit as something really large barreled past the soldiers behind Mai Li, a large polar bear wearing black leggings and gauntlets. Po however continued on and, with a loud cry, punched Kiho's chest. There was a five second pause after which Po pulled his fist back.

"Ow ow ow! Are you made of rock or something?" Po cried out in pain while clutching his aching fist. Despite the situation, Tigress sighed and face palmed.

"You are pathetic; I can't believe I had to train to kill you." Kiho said pulling his fist back. "My turn."

Po turned and was met with a powerful uppercut that knocked him in the air. He soared over Tigress's head and collapsed in an unconscious heap behind her. "Hah! So much for the Dragon Warrior!" Mai Li said with a laugh.

Neither Tigress nor Lin could believe what was happening; there was no way their friends could be beaten so easily. Tigress looked forwards and saw Mai LI glaring evilly at her. "And, as you can probably guess Misha, I trained to fight you."

With a snap of her fingers, the rest of her team assembled by her side. They all looked so powerful; it was almost as if they radiated strength. Being able to stand alongside five powerful Kung Fu masters, Mai Li looked very intimidating.

"My master rewards those loyal to his cause." Mai Li said. "He will destroy this valley but leave enough of it left for us six to rule. We will be the new masters of the Jade Palace, the new greatest warriors in all of China!"

Mai LI spread her arms indicating the group that took out her friends. "Behold...THE SANGUINE SIX!"

Tigress finally had enough and charged at Mai Li. Lin watched in fear as Mai Li flexed her wrists, dropping daggers into her paws, and rushing towards Tigress with murder in her eyes. "Misha!" he shouted fearing the outcome. "Misha don't!"

She didn't listen to him. Instead, she punched at Mai Li who cartwheeled past her to avoid the blow. Irritated, Tigress spun around and charged once more at the smirking Mai Li who blocked her high kick as if it was nothing. Mai Li then dodged Tigress's back hand and deflected another punch before striking her elbow several times.

Mai Li kicked Tigress back and rushed at her. The later backed up to avoid a swipe of her opponents daggers before attempting a low sweep. Mai Li saw this coming and backed up before crouching down and pinning Tigress ankle to the ground while her other paw started cutting into her thigh.

Tigress pulled her leg free and punched only to be blocked again. She delivered a flurry of blow only getting the same result each time. Mai Li then went on the offensive, forcing Tigress to black and evade her daggers. Mai Li then did a drop kick what made Tigress stagger back.

Tigress eventually recovered and pulled her paws back, and Mai Li recognized the move. As Tigress thrust her paws forward, Mai Li simply sidestepped. Tigress's eyes widened as she went right past Mai Li who smirked before smashing her fist into Tigress's right temple.

Lin watched as Mai Li continued the attack by flicking her wrist, sending an arrow into Tigress's thigh .She then punched Tigress right in the face with her left paw before spinning and cutting her chest with her right and finally ending with a kick to her chest sending her flying. Unable to believe his eyes, Lin saw Tigress hit the ground and Mai Li jump on her pinning her arms down with her feet.

Tigress looked up and saw the eyes of a dagger-wielding maniac staring down at grinning like a madman. "Any last words?" she asked tauntingly.

Tigress couldn't think properly. "I..."

"Good enough for me!" Mai Li shouted pulling her paw back ready to deliver the final blow. In a split second, she brought it down.

At that moment, Tigress's mind went blank.

"MISHA!"

There was a loud thud as the arrow made impact. Lin blinked and saw the arrow sticking out of the ground barely an inch away from Tigress's neck. Tigress herself couldn't believe what just happened and just watched as Mai Li bent down to speak to her face-to-face.

"I can't kill you yet. Not until my master says so." she said, her voice practically dripping with malice.

She raised her head and ordered the warriors to tie up the unconscious Po and the rest of the five. As they did Mai LI continued to speak. "You'll be our temporary prisoner, but when the attack comes...I'm gonna make a beeline for you and toy with you a little before finally killing you."

Tigress just stared at that monster unable to say anything. Mai Li got off her and walked back to let the guards tie Tigress up. Mai Li smirked at her again. "Here's a little preview of what kind of pain I'm planning."

She raised her foot and smashed her heel painfully into her tail causing Tigress to scream in pain. The guards finally tied her up in chains and carried her away along with the others. She passed by Lin and saw her own shock and fear mirror in his face. Together with their defeated friends, the two of them were brought out of the valley, Mai Li's maniacal laughter slowly fading in the distance.


	51. Chapter 51

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 51  
>RETURN TO THE VALLEY PART 1<p>

Mai Li's laughter still rung in Tigress's ears even after she passed the entrance to the valley. She still couldn't believe what just happened; there was no way Mai Li could be alive after what happened to her. There was no way that she and her friends were defeated by six, power-hungry warriors, and there was no way that the only thing standing between Geng Wu and the destruction of the valley was her master.

Tigress struggled and tried breaking free of the chains around her, but that didn't work. She growled angrily and tried struggling again stopping only as one of the guards holding her punched her in the stomach. The air knocked out of her, she dropped to her knees and couldn't move for a while.

"Get up!" one of the guards yelled shoving her to the ground. She didn't which made the guards kick her around a bit.

"Get off her!" Lin yelled angrily trying to make his way towards them earning a painful knee to his stomach. Eyes watering in pain, he looked up and saw a large group of warriors pass them as if they were escorting someone, Geng Wu.

He looked to his side and saw Tigress being dragged across the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

"I'm...still conscious..." she replied weakly.

"He's on his way."

Tigress knew what he meant and immediately thought of Shifu having to fight that monster on his own. That only strengthened her resolve to break herself and everyone else out to help, but even if they did, they'd still have to get past the Sanguine Six. She was angry at them, especially Mai Li, for what they did to her friends. She wished she could look behind her to check up on the others, but the guards kept her head straight.

Their captors dragged them across away from the valley. Soon, they entered a large camp site where they must've been hiding before the attack. It was mostly full of empty tents and weapons racks. A few warriors remained to serve as back up in case it was needed. Tigress looked around in desperation, hoping to find something that would help them escape.

She didn't find anything. She and the others were dragged into a large, empty tent. As they passed it, they saw several small blades sticking out of the ground. They both recognized them as the ones Fenghuang wielded against them. With the owl nowhere in sight, they realized that she might have already been killed, most likely by Geng Wu himself.

"Wanna see where I put her body? I buried her myself." one of the guards holding Tigress said with a laugh. Neither of them said anything even after they left the tent.

They were eventually brought to a cave near the edge of the camp. They were brought through a path lit by a few lanterns until they came across a large open space where more lanterns hung. "Hang 'em up. Remember, Mai Li said this one's all hers." the guard holding Tigress said to the others.

They obeyed and went to the wall on the far end. In a mater of minutes, Lin found himself dangling from his ankles along with the others. Bitterly, he recalled that this was just how he was kept during those 20 years of imprisonment.

"Sit tight you guys; the slaughtering's starting soon!" the guards said with a laugh before leaving the seven of them hanging around.

Tigress struggled against the chains, but that only made her wrists hurt. Meanwhile, Lin was staring at the lock near his wrist. After several moments, they heard the others stir.

"Oh...was that just a dream?" Po asked slightly dazed. He then realized the situation they were in.

"No we did just get beaten up by those six monsters." Crane said still wincing a bit from the wound Tria gave him. Meanwhile, Viper was desperately to reach her lock with her tail, but it was too far away. Mantis was busy kicking the small cage he was in.

"Hey Lin, how's you get out of this?" Monkey asked trying to reach the lock with his tail.

"I had to trick the guards into letting me go." Lin said calmly. "I doubt I can do that now, but at least I have an idea."

Tigress saw him open his clenched right fist revealing something thin and metallic sticking out of his paw, his acupuncture needle. She watched as he slowly and carefully used his thumb and middle finger to pull it out of his skin.

"How did you-" Tigress was about to ask but remembered earlier how Lin crouched when one of his wrists was in chains; he must've stuck his needle into himself then. When the needle was about halfway out, everyone realized what he was doing.

No one spoke as the needle slowly inched its way out of Lin's paw. After a incredibly tense minute, it was out completely. Everyone cheered, but Lin knew he wasn't done yet. He raised the needle as high as he could and managed to reach the lock, much to everyone's relief. He inserted the needle into the lock and started to move it around. About a minute later...

"Er...does anyone here know how to pick locks? Because I'm totally guessing on this." he admitted causing Tigress to groan and shake her head.

"I know how." Viper told him.

"Good. Give me the quickest lesson you can possibly give."

"Well you better hurry. I don't think I can stand this any more." Po said, his arms already beginning to ache due to his own weight. Viper sighed and talked Lin through how to pick the lock with the needle.

About halfway through, they heard someone approaching. Lin hurried up with the lock, but a rhino guard had already entered dashing everyone's hopes. "Hey, I want answers!" Lin shouted at him. "Where's Geng Wu?!"

The guard approached him with a sneer. "Last I heard, he's already gotten into the Jade Palace." he replied much to everyone's horror. "Only thing in his way now's some old guy."

"That old guy is my master." Lin said angrily.

"Pfft. Doesn't matter; he'll be dead soon." The guard laughed.

"Not if I do this." Lin said pulling his right wrist out of the now unlocked chain. He kicked off the wall behind him and, swinging from the chain on his left arm, gave the guard a powerful uppercut that knocked his several feet away.

"Alright! Nice one Lin!" Po praised. Lin steadied himself before using his free paw to pull his other one out. Dropping to the ground, he picked up his fallen needle and used it to free Viper. The two of them proceeded to free everyone else from their restraints.

"We need to get to Shifu as fast as we can." Tigress said cringing a little as she yanked out the arrow Mai Li shot into her. The rest of them nodded and quickly left the cave they were in.

Outside, there were still a few more guards hanging around. Upon seeing them free, they charged at them weapons raised, and they ran in to fight back.

"How come there're still some guys left?" Po asked out loud as he kicked a guy aside.

"We've already taken out a lot, but several more remain in Geng Wu's army." Lin said as he fought off a few warriors. "Not only that, he must also be aided by his own spies here in the valley."

He smashed his elbow into the warrior before him knocking his away. At that moment, a leopard with a bag around his shoulder appeared before the group. Po gasped at the sight of him. "That's our mailman!" he exclaimed getting everyone's attention.

The killer mailman put his paw into his bag, which everyone but Lin recognized as the one he carried his messages in, and pulled out several kunais. He threw them at the group forcing them to scatter. Lin and Tigress dove behind a nearby crate, a kunai hitting the spot they were previously at.

"I knew it!" Tigress shouted furiously charging at him. A kunai in both paws, he charged at her. He blocked Tigress's kick and attempted to stab her in the chest. She backed up and punched his chest.

Recovering from the hit, he threw both kunais at Tigress before pulling out another pair and rushing at her. Tigress dodged the thrown ones and ducked as he swung his weapons at her neck. She countered with a punch followed by a jumping kick that knocked him into a nearby tent toppling it over. He didn't emerge after that.

"Er...am I missing something?" Lin asked out loud.

"Don't ask." Tigress said before they took off. As they passed, Lin heard Monkey yell something at the fallen mailman, something about him trying to kill them after delivering mail to them for over 30 years. He had no idea what they were talking about, but he decided that it could wait.

Luckily for them, they didn't meet anymore resistance after that. They managed to leave the camp and ran as fast as they could back to the valley to help Shifu. In a matter of minutes, they could already see the valley entrance. They rushed towards it only stopping when several small objects landed in their midst.

"Look out!" Lin shouted but the objects suddenly exploded sending out a thick cloud of smoke that engulfed the group. They all stopped coughed and not being able to see anyone or anything around them. Lin reached out to find someone, anyone, in the smoke, but he couldn't find anyone.

"Crane, blow this awa-" Tigress began but was cut off when she heard cry of pain. She hastily turned ready to fight off who their attacker was, but she still couldn't see through the smoke. There was then a sharp crack followed by the feeling of something slicing her back making her scream out in pain. She hastily turned around and saw the barbed tip of a whip retreat into the smoke.

All around, she heard the others fighting. She charged blindly into the only stopping when something large crashed into her. After tumbling around a bit, she finally stopped. She was face-down, pinned to the ground by something really large, heavy and soft which could only be one thing.

"Get off me Po!" Tigress yelled trying to push him off. As Po got off her, Crane managed to blow a mighty gust of wind which dispersed the smoke giving everyone the chance to see their attackers.

They were Huu and Xing, and they were busy holding Lin off. He sidestepped a blow from Huu's whip and managed to kick Xing in the chest. The later was barely fazed by the attack and swung his axe sideways. Tigress managed to get Po off her and lunge at the three of them along with the others ready to fight.

Xing and Lin fought one on one while Huu stepped forward to combat the others. He swung and wildly flailed his whips around creating an area around him too dangerous for anyone to approach him. Mantis managed to find an opening and kicked Huu making him stumble back a bit. Huu recovered and charged, ducking as Tigress's fist sailed over his head.

Crane and Monkey came at him together; he whipped the ground between them forcing them to separate. He blocked a swipe of Crane's wings and attempted to stab him, but he flew away just in time. Huu then pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it at Monkey distracting him for a while. He then jumped back to Xing's side to avoid an attack from the others.

He threw more smoke bombs at the group before helping Xing out with Lin. Xing blocked Lin punch and kick with the handle of his axe before swinging it at him. Lin jumped back to avoid it, but Huu managed to whip his shoulder making him fall to the ground. He tried getting up, but Xing put his foot on his chest pinning him down.

Huu then stepped on his wrists pinning him down even more. The one-eyed fox surveyed the struggling Lin for a while before smiling. He raised his whip over his head; Lin caught a glimpse of his shock reflected on the bladed end before it was quickly brought down, going right for his neck.

That was when she emerged from the smoke screaming in rage with a manic look in her eyes. The sight stunned the three of them especially Huu who collided with her. After tumbling for several moments, Huu found himself lying on the ground looking up at her. She screamed right in his face before raising her paw and bringing out her claws intending to take out his other eye.

Tigress didn't get a chance to as Lin tackled her aside, unable to let her stoop to their level. He had her pinned by her shoulders while she continued to struggle against him. Xing helped Huu to his feet and charged at the Lin and Tigress, but Po and the others emerged from the smoke to hold them off while Lin tried calming Tigress down.

"Misha...Misha!" he yelled keeping her shoulders down as she continued to fight against him. It was only when he looked into her eyes that she stopped struggling. Staring into them, she saw her anger fade, her face soften and her struggling stopped.

He sighed and shook his head. He picked her up in his arms and carried her away from the fight to an empty tent. He laid her down there as she continued to stare at him.

"Lin...I..." But he shook his head. He didn't want this, leaving her all alone, but he didn't have much of a choice. If she went back out there, there'd be no telling how she'll react. He simply refused to let her stoop down to their level.

"Stay here first." he said leaving the tent. She did nothing but stare at him some more which worried him. Nevertheless, he ran off to help the others hoping to end this fight soon while she laid there alone with the thoughts of what she was about to do.


	52. Chapter 52

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 52  
>RETURN TO THE VALLEY PART 2<p>

_"Run! Run for your lives!"_

_"She's coming! Hurry!"_

_"She's a monster, a monster!"_

She could hear them screaming in terror, everyone who feared her, Tigress, the monster...

_"Get away!"_

_"Hurry before she catches you!"_

_"She will never have a family!"_

Those words always did hurt her. She was just always so angry and confused about not knowing who she was or where she came from. Several times, she heard them discuss that maybe that was why she was there in the first place, that her parents dumped her there not wanting someone like her for a daughter.

When she heard them say that, she wanted to deny it will all her heart, but without any memory, how was she sure that they were lying? Could they really have done that? Have seen the monster within her and abandoned her like that? Did they love her at all? The more she dwelled on questions like those, the angrier, sadder, and more confused and miserable she became.

And then Shifu came in and changed everything. For the first time (at least, as much as she could remember), she felt kindness and affection, the kind only a father can give. He taught her self-control and how to control her frightening temper. And in the end, when no one else took her in after showing how much she changed, he became her master, her father...

But if he saw her now...she couldn't imagine the amount of disappointment he would have. He may have guided her when things seemed most dark, but deep down, even all of his teachings and care couldn't change what she really was, a monster. Didn't she just snap a few moments ago and threatened to take Huu's other eye out like she all those years ago? She wasn't thinking at all when she did it. Upon seeing him about to kill Lin, she suddenly flashed back to that horrible day, and she snapped.

She wanted to kill him...

Kill him...

Kill...

She stared at the ceiling of the tent listening to the others fight while that though consumed her. All her life, she lived by a code of honor. She would stop anyone who threatened peace in China, but she would never kill; she never even used her claws in combat. Her paws would be instruments of justice not death. She would do everything in her power to bring down the bad guy and save the day without any bloodshed. This was her sacred code, a code she would've broken if it hadn't been for Lin.

Lin...

When his name came across her mind, she covered herself even though no one was looking. She felt so ashamed of herself, of what she was about to do. She was so close to becoming the monstrous killers that took the lives of her parents and who knows how many others. She didn't think she could look at him or any of them in the eyes after all that; her shame was just too great. She was a monster.

Letting out a single tear, she thought herself unworthy of being Lin's wife.

* * *

><p>Huu and Xing were putting up a good fight against them. "We need to end this now, or we won't have the strength to fight Geng Wu." Crane said as Lin regrouped. "How's Tigress?"<p>

"She's..." He didn't know what to say about that. He hoped she was fine. Luckily, Xing turned his attention to them which saved Lin from answering.

Crane and Lin charged. Xing swung his axe only to have Lin grab its handle. This gave Crane an opening to fly in and kick him. As Xing stumbled back, Lin held onto his axe and threw it aside. Angry that his weapon was gone, Xing punched Lin who crossed his arms over himself, but was still pushed back.

With a loud cry, Lin threw his arms open deflecting Xing's arm upwards. Seeing an opening, he did a back flip and kicked Xing's chin. As he stumbled back, Lin landed and rammed him with his shoulder; he followed this by three consecutive punched followed by a kick.

"This is for what you did to her!" he shouted pulling his arms back. He charged and slammed the back of his fists into Xing's stomach. The impact knocked the gorilla off his feet and launched him into a nearby tent where he crashed and slowly rose from.

"These guys just won't stay down!" an irritated Po said as Huu leaped over his kick and whipped his back. The fox attempted to stab the wounded Po only to be stopped by a flying kick from Mantis. Recovering, Viper wrapped around his right wrist and forced his arm down. Huu managed to whip Monkey in the face with his free arm before raising his whip to stab Viper. A cut on his face, Monkey ran in, punched and kicked Huu's face before Viper smashed her tail into his stomach and letting go.

Angry, Xing picked up an empty crate and threw it at Po who smashed it to pieces with a single punch. He, along with Crane and Lin lunged and struck together only to have Xing cross his arms to block the attacks. He swung his arms outwards knocking everyone back and giving him a chance to run to his axe and pick it up.

While Po and Crane held him off, Lin switched opponents with Monkey and charged at Huu who dodged his initial punch before wrapping his whip around his wrist. Lin tried to pull himself free but Huu kicked him in the chest and used his other whip to fend off Viper who dared to help. Mantis however saw and opening and dove in. He managed to pull Lin away from the hold.

Xing swung his axe in a circle forcing everyone fighting him to back off and giving him a chance to regroup with Huu. "I don't think...I can last any longer..." he panted.

Huu said nothing; he was very tired as well. Lin and the rest of them surrounded the two all panting from the fight. "Just give up...You can't win..." Lin said tired but still willing to fight.

Huu snarled at him. "Even if we don't win...at least...you won't have the strength...to fight our master..." he said.

Lin and everyone else knew he was right. He was considering going around them and getting into the valley, but he also didn't want these two to get to Tigress who was still lying in a tent, alone, plagued by her thoughts.

"Maybe you'd win if you let her go beast on us." Xing called out with a laugh that only angered them. "C'mon out girl! What's wrong?! Scared or something?! I want to see some carnage from you!"

"You shut up about her." Lin said angrily. "She's above that."

"Are you so sure about that?" Huu asked him. "We all know what she's capable of and what she was about to do. Why deny it?"

"'Cause that's not Tigress." Po said walking next to Lin. "I mean, yeah she's got a bit of a temper and a pretty mean punch when she's mad...but still! She's not a monster; she's my friend, and I don't like what you guys're doing to her!"

"Tigress is my friend too, and she's not a monster!" Viper yelled out in her defense. "You guys clearly did something horrible to someone who didn't deserve it, so you'll both have to hear from me!"

"If anyone's a monster here, it's all of you." Crane said walking up to them with the others. "We're a family, and if a monster like you hurts one of us, you'll have to deal with the rest of us."

"You hear that Tigress! We all got your back here!" Monkey shouted behind him.

"You got a temper, but you're no monster!" Mantis said.

Tigress heard every word from the tent she was in, every defense, every statement of their willingness to defend her. Shifting slightly, she slowly uncovered her face and peered through, as if a shaft of light had come to illuminate the darkness and gloom that surrounded her.

Unfortunately, Huu wasn't all pleased by their defense. "Is that all you have to say? You're all just horribly misguided fools." he told them. "We're all monsters deep down, so why deny it? Why not just give in to that beast within like what she did? I have and, I believe to live happier compared to those who don't."

Lin took a step forward and locked eyes with Huu. "Maybe you're right; maybe deep down we are all monsters...But at least we can control it. We don't let it overcome us and become who we are. There may be times when it does take over us and makes us do unforgivable things, but we have those who can guide us back to the right path."

"The same can't be said for you two." Lin pointed at them. "You let your inner beasts overcome you and become who you are. You've become nothings, but murderers and destroyers who are trapped into doing just that; I can see why Geng Wu let you two in his army. You'll never overcome us who have tamed the beast within."

"You think so? You think yourselves so different? So special?" Huu said raising his voice slightly. They could see him trembling slightly.

"Uh...Huu...?" Xing asked but was interrupted by Huu's shout.

"You think yourselves any better than us? You think that your ability to control it puts you in a higher place than us? Than anyone in this army?!" Huu said angrily. "Never in my life have I seen such arrogance!" He gripped his whip tightly. "I'll show you...I'll cut that arrogant streak right out of you!"

He raised his whip and snapped it at Lin who sidestepped to dodge, revealing a surprising sight: Tigress charging right at him on all fours. Passing Lin and the rest of them, she jumped and pulled her paws back before slamming them into Xing's stomach. The latter was knocked off his feet and was sent flying in the distance. He collapsed several feet away and passed out.

The whole group was stunned. Tigress turned and faced Huu who finally recovered from the shock. He whipped the ground in front at in, beckoning Tigress to go over and fight him. She gave it and changed catching his whip when he swung it. She pulled him closer and deflected his slash downwards following up with a backhand that he leaned backwards to avoid. Huu hastily got around Tigress, jumped backwards and lashed out at her, whipping her back painfully.

Alarmed, Lin stepped forward to help, but tigress raised her paw at him telling him that she could handle this. As she turned, Huu lashed out, successfully wrapping his whips around her arms. He yanked her towards him readying to stab her when she neared. At the last second, she dug her feet into the ground stopping her advance. She grabbed the whips and pulled them right out of Huu's her arm, she ran over and picked him up by the scruff of his shirt.

Nobody seemed to move at that moment. Tigress was just staring at Huu who didn't look afraid at all. Instead he glared back at her and spoke. "I see you have your mother's eyes."

Her own eyes widened at that, and she briefly flashed back to the night while Huu continued speaking. "I remember your mother's eyes well enough. I saw them widen in horror as I shoved her down and stabbed your father's neck."

Tigress's arms were beginning to tremble as that scene kept replaying in her mind. "She looked at me in horror again right before I pierced her heart. Her blood was everywhere, on the ground with your father's, on my paws with the blood of countless others. If you hadn't made their death so significant, I would've simply thought of them as two nobodies, no significance to me at all..."

Her trebling increased and her breath became ragged. She was fighting to keep herself from losing control but the images in her head were just too intense. Lin could see her struggling and took a step forward, but Huu's voice cut him off.

"I'm planning to kill him as well." Huu said nodding at Lin. "Would you like me to tell you what kind of painful death I have in store for him? Or perhaps what i had in mind for your friends?"

Her grip on him tightened as he continued. "Why are you holding back? Let it out; I know you're dying to do so."

She closed her eyes feeling herself lose it. "Misha! Don'!" Lin shouted.

You know you can kill me right now, so do it." Huu ordered. "Avenge your parents, unleash that beast within..."

She felt herself beginning to crumble.

"We are...the same..."

At that last sentence, Tigress opened her eyes and brought Huu closer to her. Her eyes were wide with anger and her breath was heavy. Pleased, Huu smirked, but Tigress suddenly shouted:

"I AM NOTHING LIKE YOU!"

She pulled her fist back and smashed it into his jaw sending him flying into a stack of crates. He crashed into them, gave one final groan and then passed out. For several moments, she stood there taking deep breath, her arm still outstretched. Eventually, her face softened; she lower her arm and dropped to her knees.

Lin ran over and caught her before she fell forward. "I'm sorry Lin..." she said with a shaky voice. "I...they kill my parents...and...they tried to kill you...and I...I'm sorry..."

Lin said nothing and hugged her tightly. She gripped his back tightly and started sobbing slightly. She was so hurt by Huu's words that she nearly lost herself in the rage that threatened to consume her. But some of that anger, and hate remained within her scaring her slightly.

At that moment, she felt something large and soft press against her back and two arms go over hers. Her eyes opened upon feeling Po hug her, but she didn't protest. Soon, the others gathered around the three of them and joined in. Tigress felt them all hold on to her; she felt her rage and fear subside at the presence of her family.

She wondered if this was the inner peace Oogway, Shifu and Po achieved. Whatever it was, it made her feel so calm within. She remained surrounded by her family for about a minute before they parted. Lin looked at her, and she sighed. She looked up at all of them, her face and voice determined.

"Let's go. Shifu needs us."

* * *

><p>The Sanguine six were busy guarding the entrance to the Jade Palace. All the while, they heard several crashes, cries of pain, clashes of steel against steel and other sounds as Shifu and Geng Wu fought. "Wow, they're really making a racket in there." Tria commented as the doors shook.<p>

Mai Li eyes the doors happily. "It's only a matter of time until Shifu falls." she said. "We just need to be patient; our victory is just minutes away!" she ended with an evil laugh.

Kiho then tapped her shoulder. "There's a problem." he told her. She turned around and saw Lin and the others making their way to the palace. she growled in annoyance.

"They clearly haven't given up." Abasi remarked.

"Orders?" Banjora asked turning to Mai Li.

The latter looked from the group heading towards them to the doors of the palace. "This is a crucial part of the invasion plan. Master gave us orders to never let anyone interfere with this part."

"Doessss that mean what I think it meansss...?" Boa asked.

"It sure does." Everyone but Mai Li turned around ready to fight. Mai Li herself flexed her wrists and caught her daggers in her paws. She quickly turned around and pointed at the advancing group, giving the order each of them was waiting to hear.

"KILL THEM!"


	53. Chapter 53

_Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru_

CHAPTER 53  
>ATTACK OF THE SIX PART 1<p>

The two groups met in the middle of the Palace Arena, and the fight started immediately. The six saw that their opponents were tired and still recovering from their previous bout with themselves and with Huu and Xing. All of them, especially Mai Li, expected a swift and easy victory.

While everyone else faced off against their counterparts, both Tigress and Lin went for Mai Li. Seeing them approach her, she launched several arrows which they deflected easily. Mai Li swung in with a kick that Tigress caught under her shoulder. The action however, launched an arrow which Monkey dodged before resuming his fight with Banjora.

Tigress still holding her, Mai Li Used her free leg to kick Tigress back. She then did a back flip and landed perfectly before rushing in. Lin ran in to intercept and evaded a few swipes of her daggers before kicking. She spun around him and struck his right arm several times.

Lin jumped back and regrouped with Tigress. Together, they ran at Mai Li who stood her ground. Tigress reached her first and ended up getting her punch deflected. Mai Li pulled her out of the way and fired an arrow at Lin. After deflecting it, he pulled his arm back. Mai Li also sense Tigress move in to strike. She ducked Tigress's blow and shoved her forward, using her as a shield to Lin's attack. The latter quickly stopped his fist inches away from Tigress giving Mai Li the chance to kick the two of them together knocking them back.

They managed to get on their feet and watched Mai Li charge. Lin stood in front of Tigress and readied himself. Mai Li neared and slashed and kicked several times with each blow deflected by Lin and countered by Tigress. Neither of them could get any hit on the other.

Eventually, Lin and Tigress punched at the same time though Mai Li ducked and moved in to stab them. They separated to avoid it and converged on her again. Mai Li fired and arrow at Lin to slow him down while she went for Tigress since she knew her every move.

It was almost a repeat of their last fight. The only hits were on Tigress's arm and legs. Lin made it to them and joined in the fight. Mai Li tried fending him off; her first target was Tigress since she knew her every move. She cut Lin's thigh, halting him while she went for Tigress.

Clutching his leg, which ached from the cut and the usual pain of too much work, Lin saw the tiger girls fight with Tigress on the losing side. He ran in to help as Tigress was swept off her feet and hit the ground. As Mai Li raised her dagger, Lin shoulder tackled her. He then did three consecutive punches, an elbow strike and finished with a Swirling Lynx Roundhouse Kick that knocked Mai Li back.

She was down for a while but quickly got to her feet. Tigress too got to her feet and charged along with Lin who vaulted Tigress over Mai Li who blocked Tigress's initial punch. She was about to counter when Lin reached her, forcing her to dodge. She realized that taking Tigress out would be easier if Lin weren't around.

Knocking Tigress aside, she switched her target to Lin who deflected her punch upwards before countering with his own. Mai Li avoided it and struck his elbow before slashing with her dagger. Lin blocked it and shoved her back towards a recovering Tigress. Mai Li evaded her initial punch and countered with and upward slash forcing Tigress to back off.

Seeing her in trouble, Lin ran over to help, but as he neared, Mai Li jumped and did a perfect split, kicking them both in the stomach. As Lin crashed, he gasped as his legs really started to burn, but he didn't have time to rest; everyone was still fighting, and Shifu still needed their help. Ignoring the pain and exhaustion, he charged at Mai Li.

"You just don't quit do you?" Mai Li asked before launching a pair of arrows at him. He dodged one while the other grazed his shoulder. Nevertheless, he continued on. Mai Li slashed, and Lin jumped back to avoid it and countered with a drop kick. Mai Li ducked as Lin passed over her, but when she stood up, Tigress was suddenly there, and she punched her chest.

Mai Li was pushed back but remained on her feet. Growling, she stood her ground as Lin and Tigress charged. Thought she managed to hold off the latter's assault, Lin was still made things difficult for her. After fending off a few attacks, she bent backwards, pulled her legs in and pushed against the ground with all her might.

The result was her launching her self upwards at a slight angle. She struck Lin's chin with both her feet launching him into the air. As he flew back, Tigress watched in shock giving Mai Li time to land and continue her assault.

Lin hit the ground several feet away, his jaw aching along with almost every other part of his body. He tried pushing himself up, but his arms were aching so much, they could barely stand doing so much work. Ignoring the pain, He got to his feet and ran to help Tigress who was fending off Mai Li on her own.

Tigress jumped back and let Lin continue his assault. She joined him after landing and tried overwhelming Mai Li. The latter managed somehow, but she knew Lin had to be disposed of so she could kill Tigress easier. She jumped back as Tigress kicked, landed and surveyed her surroundings. The rest of the Six were holding their own against Po and the Five, so she decided to get their help.

"Change of plans! Everyone kill Lin!" Mai Li shouted.

Lin's eyes widened in alarm. Before anyone could stop him, he charged at Mai Li. As he neared her, Kiho suddenly showed up and stood before Mai Li,ready to fight Lin. The latter growled in frustration. "Stand aside!" he yelled pulling back his fist.

Lin punched, but before his fist reached Kiho, his arm was suddenly wrapped by something thick and dark green. He looked back and saw Boa hissing at him evilly. Tigress ran to Boa to free him, but Mai Li intercepted her, finally getting her all to herself. Lin looked forward and saw Abasi fly around his arm and punched him right between the eyes.

For a small guy, he had a lot of strength, enough to knock Lin back several feet with a single punch. After Lin recovered, he saw Boa right before him and punched with his free arm aiming for the anaconda's face. Boa dodged and headbutted Lin's stomach before diving between his legs. He then went once around his chest and another around his free arm. After that, me went between Lin legs again; he tried punching but missed. Emerging from behind, Boa wrapped himself around Lin's chest several time. After several coils, he brought himself up to Lin's face, looking into his eyes and started to constrict.

At once, Lin felt his lungs empty. He tried his best to inhale, by the crushing force on his chest preventing that. Mouth agape, he looked at Boa who had his eyes on him the whole time as he squeezed the life out of him. Lin raised an arm to strike, but the lack of oxygen was starting to get to him; his surroundings slowly darkened.

"Lin!" Tigress shouted as she dodged Mai Li's attacks. She looked around seeing Po, Viper and Mantis struggling to get up and called out to one of those available. "Someone help Lin!"

Monkey managed to dodge a strike from Banjora's stump and ran towards Lin whose struggles slowed down. Monkey ran up and kicked the side of Boa's head, loosening his grip on Lin a bit. Annoyed, Boa attempted a headbutt which Monkey dodged before giving him a few punches. With one final kick, Boa was knocked aside and let go of Lin.

He collapsed on all fours and began coughing. He took several deep breaths and felt his head clear up. He looked up to thank Monkey but saw Banjora jump towards him stump raised. Lin hastily got to his feet and pushed Monkey away before blocking Banjora's strike with his arm and countering with a punch to his chest.

Banjora landed on his feet and snarled at Lin. Boa finally recovered and hissed angrily at the two. Kiho and Abasi also showed up surrounding the two of them. Lin and Monkey looked around wondering who would strike first. Tigress and Crane were busy fighting their opponents, and the others were just getting to their feet.

Lin got an idea that might make things easier for them. As the others regained their senses and their will to fight, Lin shouted to all of them. "Everyone switch opponents!"

At first, everyone was puzzled by his suggestion. Then, as Crane and Tria flew in during their fight, Viper slithered onto Po's back and launched herself at Tria as she couldn't wait to get her out of Crane's hands. Or was it to get Crane out of her hands? Either way, Crane was grateful for it and swooped down at Boa who swung his tail at him. Crane brushed it aside and flew off prompting Boa to pursue him.

Monkey and Lin nodded at each other before the former jumped on the lynx's arm. Lin then launched him at Abasi starting a fight between them. Po and Mantis engaged Banjora and Kiho respectively while Lin ran towards the tiger girls.

"Help the others; I'll handle her!" Lin shouted as he neared the two of them. Tigress nodded and jumped away from Mai Li's slash before running to the others. Lin punch only to be blocked by Mai Li's arm.

"You idiot! My master already considered that possibility!" Mai Li yelled at him. "We're trained in all your styles; switching opponents won't help much!"

Lin jumped back and looked over his shoulder. The others were putting up a good fight against the rest of the Six, but it was still to early to tell who would win the battle. He turned his attention to Mai Li determined to keep her away from Tigress and resumed their fight.

Tigress joined Mantis in engaging Kiho. Po managed to hold off Banjora despite getting hit the the head a few times by the stump. Monkey had little trouble with Abasi zipping around him delivering strikes and kicks all over his body. Crane stayed in the air while avoiding Boa's hissing and many attempts to strangle him, and Viper was well...a different story.

As Viper struggled to remain airborne, she managed to coil around Tria's wings and talons. Tria tried shaking her off, but Viper forced her wings down causing her to descend. Viper then pulled her wings up, halting their fall and making Tria glide. Getting used to controlling her flight was tricky, but she managed it eventually despite Tria's struggles.

Viper made her fly down at her comrades. She made her fly towards Kiho and made Tria swipe her talons at his head. Kiho was struck painfully distracting him long enough for Mantis to vault Tigress up and have her kick the side of his head. "Sorry!" Tria said as Viper steered her away from them and towards Boa. She once gain made Tria hit him with her talons.

"Oops; I didn't mean that, really!" Tria apologized as she flew away and hit Banjora. "Totally not my fault!"

Tria managed to gain some control and, with a grunt, she flipped herself upside down and dove towards the ground. The action made Viper hit the ground and skid across it for several moments. After stopping, Tria got up and threw Viper off her before slashing her with her talons. She then grabbed her head and viciously smashed it to the ground stunning viper for a while.

Satisfied, Tria let go of her and spotted her target still holding off Boa. "Oh Crane..." she said in a joyful, sing-song voice before flying towards him. She had only gone about a foot, when she felt something pull her ankle down. Looking back, she saw viper holding her ankle, a menacing look on her face.  
>"You're not going anywhere." she said.<p>

Viper uncoiled her tail and struck at Tria's face only for her to block it with her wing. Tria then flew over her and smacked Viper's face with her talons. Recovering quickly, Viper struck Tria's back just as she turned knocking her back a bit. Tria turned and saw Viper lunge at her and brought up a talon. She managed to catch Viper's body right before she could reach her face.

Unfortunately for her,Viper easily slipped out of her hold and took advantage of the closed distance between them to coil around her. Tria immediately took to the air and tried shaking her off, but Viper's hold was strong. Finally having enough, Tria swung her wings out knocking Viper off her and suddenly grew to three times her normal size.

She flew in at Viper and caught her in her massive talons. As the latter struggled, she was brought up high above the arena. They went past the storm clouds that covered the valley before stopping. After panting for a while, Tria spun around several times before throwing her opponent as high as she could. Viper felt herself ascend for a few seconds before finally falling.

She started to freak out; she'd never had to fall from that height before. A fall from that high up would surely kill her. As she passed the storm clouds, she tried thinking of a way to slow down her fall, but Tria, still three times her size, suddenly emerged from the smoke, her talons raised and looking incredibly sharp. Eyes widening in horror, Viper could only watch as Tria descended, ready to cut her in half.

Suddenly, something collided with her and brought her upwards. She flew past Tria who looked at her in disbelief and rose above the clouds. Viper looked around and saw herself around Crane's neck safe from harm. So grateful for saving her life, Viper couldn't help but hug him and kiss his cheek.

Crane acted really flustered and turned pink slightly after that. "I uh...she didn't see that did she?" he asked nervously making Viper giggle. They then nodded at each other before Crane flew down. They saw Tria fly towards the, still a giant. She let out a shriek and brought her talons up. Crane flew around them and over her head, dropping Viper in the process.

She landed on Tria and wrapped herself around her neck. Crane flew over and, using Viper as reigns, managed to steer Tria towards the ground. She fought for control, but Crane and Viper kept their grip on her. As they neared the ground, Crane let go; Viper slid back on Crane and watched as Tria hit the ground head first.

The sound of the impact caught everyone's attention. They all looked and saw Tria lying on the ground groaning in pain. Slowly, she shrinked back to her normal size and finally pass out. Crane landed and looked at the unconscious Tria for a while.

"So uh Viper...maybe when this is all over, you and I can..." Crane said shyly, but the battle had resumed, and the sounds of it blocked his words. To make things worse, Boa showed up and hissed at the pair. Viper slid off him and gave him a nod. Crane nodded back and, after assuming their stances, charged at their opponent.

One down, five to go...


	54. Chapter 54

Oh Archangel, about your question. I really am planning to continue Dissidia: War of the Digital Gods; it's just that I kinda ran out of ideas and focused on this fic. I promise though that after this fic is done, I'll finish my Dissidia story.

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><p><em>Opening Theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru<em>

CHAPTER 54  
>ATTACK OF THE SIX PART 2<p>

Even with Tria defeated, the remaining members of the Sanguine Six still put up a good fight. Lin was still fighting off Mai Li who wanted to get through him to resume her battle with tigress who was still helping Mantis out with Kiho. Several kick to the head later, he already looked like he was in danger of toppling.

Meanwhile, Lin blocked two kicks from Mai Li before countering with a punch. Mai Li spun around him and slashed his elbow before kicking his side. Seeing him down, she turned her attention to Tigress eager to resume their fight. She took a step towards her only to be violently tackled by Lin. The two tumbled around until Mai Li ended up pinning Lin to the ground.

She raised her daggers and brought them down, but Lin caught her worsts before she could stab him. Not giving up, Mai Li continued to punch down against him, bringing her daggers closer and closer to his chest. Thinking fast, Lin pulled back and smashed his head into Mai Li's. This distracted her long enough to get his feet under her and kick her off.

Unfortunately, she landed on her feet and kicked an arrow at him. Lin rolled to the side to avoid it and jumped to his feet. He ran over and deflected Mai Li's punch before countering with an elbow strike. He followed this up with a backhand blow which Mai Li blocked before knocking him off his feet with a leg sweep. She then punched his chest, sending him flying backwards.

"Lin!" Tigress shouted as he crashed. She ran over to help, but Kiho punched her while her back was turned. She hastily got to her feet and dodged Kiho's next punch. Mantis jumped on his arm, but Kiho shook him off before charging at Tigress. He blocked her kick like it was nothing before grabbing her leg, bringing her over his head and slamming her into the ground.

He raised his fist ready to strike again, but Mantis jumped in at the last second and punched his stomach. He then ran up Kiho's body and kicked his chin. As he staggered back, Tigress got up and ran behind him, tripping him with a leg sweep. With a ground shuddering thud, Kiho hit the ground. As he began to get to his feet, Tigress and Mantis charged.

Kiho saw them and got on his feet before running at them. Tigress launched Mantis at him, but Kiho blocked his flying kick with his arm before punching Mantis aside. Tigress ducked under his next punch and slammed her paws into his chest realizing that Po wasn't kidding when he asked if he was made out of rock. Though Kiho was knocked back a bit, the impacts sent waves of pain up Tigress's arms.

Kiho recovered and punched Tigress who was pushed back despite crossing her arms over herself. She then grabbed his arm and, with all her strength, flipped him over her head and slammed him on the ground before her making the ground shudder once more. He tried getting off but felt something land on his chest. He looked up and saw Mantis glaring at him.

"Get off me you insect." Kiho said roughly.

That only pissed Mantis off. "OK, but first..."

Mantis rushed forward and gave Kiho another kick to his chin. The repeated blows to Kiho's head wore him down enough for that last kick to do its job. Kiho gave one last sigh before finally passing out. Satisfied, Mantis jumped off him, and Tigress let go of his arm.

Unfortunately, Kiho's defeat caught Mai Li's attention. Having two of the Six defeated made her worry about their chances. She turned to Lin and backed up as he jabbed her and ducked his next kick. She then moved in and slashed his chest, coating her dagger with a bit of his blood. Undeterred, Lin spun around and kicked; Mai Li managed to dodge and cut Lin's leg several times before sinking her fist into his stomach.

The blow knocked the air out of his lungs and sent him airborne for a few seconds. Tigress saw every moment of it and watched as Lin hit the ground several feet away. He tried getting up, but he was just too weak to do so. Smiling in satisfaction, Mai Li turned towards her nemesis. When the two tiger girls made eye contact, sparks seemed to fly between them.

Mantis stepped forward ready to help out, but Tigress shook her head at him. Mantis understood and left to help Po out with Banjora, leaving the two girls alone. More sparks seemed to fly as they each gazed at their opponent. Their gazes meant just one thing: one would remain and the other would fall.

Both girls looked to their side and ran parallel with each other heading for the arena's entrance. Evading the fights that were still going around, the girls neared the entrance and jumped, grabbing the edge of the main entrance's roof in the process. They pulled themselves out on the roof and just stared at each other.

"It's just us again huh Misha?" Mai Li taunted earning a snarl from Tigress. "You, a hero devoted to fighting for those who can't, against me, a girl who just loves to cause pain both physical and emotional; we were practically born to fight each other! It's almost like that destiny crap Lin like to spew out!"

Her following maniacal laughter caused Tigress to growl at her. When the laughing subsided, the tiger girls continued to stare at each other knowing deep down that this would be their final battle. Clenching their fists tightly, they both assumed their stances while maintaining eye contact. After several more tense seconds, a massive bolt of lightning illuminated the scene, and the two girls charge giving out loud cries.

* * *

><p>With a groan and a grunt of pain, Lin finally got to his feet. His head was spinning, but he eventually got a sense of his surroundings. Mantis was working with Po to bring down Banjora who kept throwing eucalyptus bombs around. Viper, Crane and Boa had taken to the stands to finish their fight. Monkey was holding off Abasi on his own and appeared to be winning.<p>

But the sight that really caught his attention was that of Mai Li and Tigress battling it out on the roof of the arena's entrance. They moved, they hit, they blocked, and they countered; Lin had never seen either of them fight that hard before, but Mai Li, knowing Tigress's every move, still had an advantage.

He took a step forward but heard a shout. "She's got this! We wants it to be just them!" Mantis yelled. Worried, Lin looked at Tigress who blocked a slash from Mai Li. Still worried, he accepted her decision and ran off to help Monkey.

Luckily, Abasi was already getting tired of fighting. When he saw Lin approach, he switched targets and flew around Lin's punch. He went for his face, but Lin managed to block his punch and deliver a backhand. Thinking fast, Abasi grabbed onto Lin's arm to avoid getting hit. He then flew off and swung his tail into Lin's cheek.

By that time, Monkey got in and helped. He launched himself at the two and kicked Abasi aside. The latter stabilized himself before flying in and catching Lin's punch. He flew across Lin's outstretched arm, but its owner swung it upwards, knocking Abasi into the air. Lin and launched Monkey upwards allowing him to kick Abasi downwards, making him crash into the ground.

However, he managed to get up. He punched Mantis in the chest and struck his chin with his tail. With Monkey stunned, Abasi turned to Lin and slapped his punch aside with his tail before punching only for Lin to turn to avoid it. Lin countered with an elbow strike that missed but was followed by a successful backhand blow.

Monkey recovered and followed up Lin's blow with a several punches all meeting their mark. Abasi was starting to droop, a sign that he was about to fall. He still had some fight in him as he flew at Monkey tripping him in the process. He then went for Lin who kicked; Abasi flew around the leg, but Lin punched him right in the face. Then, Monkey launched himself off the ground and delivered a mighty kick to Abasi's face.

That was too much for the insect. Abasi fell and crashed several feet away from the two and didn't rise. Lin watched him for a while before gasping suddenly and falling down. He clutched his legs which felt like they were on fire from the pain he was going through. "You need to rest Lin." Monkey told him.

"But-" Lin began but a jolt of pain cut him off. Monkey patted his back and ran off to help Viper and Crane. Lin decided that he needed just a few minutes to rest. He took out his needles and stuck them in his legs making the pain dull a bit. Counting in his head, he watched Tigress and Mai Li duke it out.

Meanwhile at the arena stands, Crane flew around support pillars to avoid Boa's attacks. Viper came in and struck with her tail, but he darted away, knotted his tail and swung it at her. Crane came to her rescue and deflected the tail into a pillar, crushing it in the process. Viper took this opportunity and strike Boa with her tail, knocking him back.

Crane continued the assault by striking Boa with his wing and followed up with a kick. Hissing angrily, Boa lunged forward; Crane moved sideways to avoid him, but Boa turned and wrapped himself around Crane's body. Making eye contact with him, he began to squeeze the life out of the defenseless Crane.

"Let him go!" Viper yelled charging. She wrapped her tail around Boa's head and pulled it down, smashing his head against the floor. Boa knotted his tail once more and swung it at her, but she ducked. The action loosened his grip on Crane enough for his to get a wing out and push himself out of the grip. Boa realized this too late and was helpless as Crane swung his wing at him.

Boa's head was struck and he went flying. Crane flew up to him, placed a wing on his head and dropped, smashing his head against the floor once more. After skidding for a while, he removed his wing and saw Boa slowly close his eyes before passing out.

"We're...not done yet." a panting Viper said going up to him. The two of them watched as Po and Mantis punched Banjora together ,sending him flying. When he crashed, his stump cluttered to the ground as he slowly passed out.

Just like that, the once mighty Sanguine Six was reduced to just one member. A suddenly flash of lightning caught everyone's attention, making them turn towards the main entrance's roof where the last battle was taking place. They all watched in awe and Tigress and Mai Li clashed knowing that one of them would be defeated for good.

Tigress's arms and legs were covered in cuts, scratches and bruises; Mai Li's status was similar. Tigress did a leg sweep that knocked Mai Li off her feet, but she pushed against the ground and launched herself over Tigress and kicked. Tigress blocked, and Mai Li managed to kick her chest. Recovering quickly, Tigress ran in and punched Mai Li's chest.

She was sent flying, but she managed to grab one of the roof's ends, turned about it and launched herself back at Tigress who blocked the kick despite being pushed back. Mai Li continued her assault and slashed with her daggers, but Tigress dodged them before attempting an elbow strike. Mai Li backed up to avoid it and launched an arrow at point-black range. Tigress deflected her arm, making the arrow fly harmlessly into the distance, and punched her back.

Growling angrily, Mai Li stabbed, but Tigress blocked her wrists and knocked the daggers out of her paws. Really mad now, Mai Li drew her claws and swiped at Tigress, scratching her chest in the process. Mai Li then move din and punched Tigress's chest twice, spun bit and kicked her. Tigress was knocked back and would've fallen of the roof if she hadn't grabbed one of its ends.

Tigress pulled herself up and moved to the top of the roof of the right side stands. Mai Li jumped from where to was towards her and swiped downwards. Tigress dodged and made a punch which Mai Li caught with her free paw. Holding on, Mai Li got up and twisted Tigress's arm, making her cry out in pain.

At that moment, Lin yanked the needles out of his leg and ran up to the stands. By that time, Tigress dropped down and did another leg sweep which knocked Mai Li down and made her let go of her arm. Mai Li stood up and blocked Tigress's kick before scratching her leg. She then punched Tigress's chest and slammed her knee into her stomach stunning her. Before she could counter attack, Mai Li grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the roof.

Mai Li grinned evilly as she stared at Tigress. She heard struggles and turned seeing Lin pull himself up; with her free arm, Mai Li fired her last arrow, hitting him in the arm and making him fall. Crane managed to catch him before he hit the ground. With that distraction gone, Mai Li turned back to her enemy and raised her paw ready to claw her throat out.

"I won't bother with last words." Mai Li said as she swung her claws.

Before she could strike, a sudden jolt of pain coming from the back of her left shoulder made her scream and let go of Tigress. She looked over her head and saw Lin, apparently helped up there by Crane, clutching an arrow that was sticking out of her shoulder, the same arrow she fired at him. That gave Lin enough time to grab her and throw her off the roof.

Tigress took his paw, and he spun her around several times before throwing her at Mai Li. The latter was still in pain from the last attack and saw Tigress fly towards her, her paws pulled back. Mai Li instinctively flicked her wrist, but no arrow came out. She was completely powerless and Tigress slammed her paws into her.

The resulting blow accelerated her flight making her crash into the roof of the opposite stands. Tigress fell and rolled on the ground and saw Mai Li lying in a large hole surrounded by broken wood. Her breath was weak, and her eyes were half open as she tried to get up with very little success.

"Master...forgive me..." Mai Li said before fainting.

Panting, Tigress looked around and saw the defeated Sanguine Six scattered around the arena. She looked at everyone else, completely worn out and wounded from all the fight they had since the day began. She looked at Lin, seeing him covered in battle scars similar to hers. Their enemy was fierce and relentless, but they managed to win in the end.

"We...did it...!" Po cried out weakly raising his arms slightly. "Yay..."

His weakened cheer cause everyone to laugh slightly. When they were done, they all looked up at the Jade Palace where their master was still fighting off Geng Wu. They all looked at each other knowing that this was going to be the fight of their lives, the fight they've trained days for. With one accord, they made their way to the staircase which was the only thing separating them from Geng Wu.

But they had only gone a few steps up when the main doors suddenly and violently swung open. The group saw and saw a small figure fly out of the palace and crash into the steps. To their horror they recognized Shifu tumbling down the steps quickly. Concerned, they all rushed to check if he was alright.

When he finally stopped, they huddled around him. He was covered in sweat, bruises, scars and a single bleeding cut across his chest. He was panting heavily, and Lin helped him up. "Master Shifu!" he cried out.

Shifu panted for a while and looked at all of them. A smile formed on him lips. "Thanks goodness...you're all still alive..."

He gave a grunt of pain which worried everyone. Tigress looked up. "Crane, Shifu's done enough for today. Take him somewhere-"

She suddenly stopped mid sentence when they heard someone step out out the palace. At that moment, another flash of lightning lit up the sky, and rain began to fall in great amounts; it seemed to be a full blown storm. It managed to put out the fires started by the catapults and wash their wounds, covering the steps beneath them in a mixture of blood and water.

The entire group froze when that someone stepped out of the palace and gazed at them. Almost against their will, Tigress and Lin turned away from their master, from their friends and looked at who it was.

In just one second, eye contact was made.

The next second, their eyes widened, and memories flooded into their heads. They saw everything...their village being destroyed, the citizens running away screaming in terror, houses on fire, soldiers stealing and cutting the innocent to pieces, their families lying dead before them...

But the sight that stood out the most, was that of the one responsible for all the hell they were put through standing right above them.

All thoughts of pain and exhaustion were banished from their minds. Together, Tigress and Lin both screamed out in fury, and, ignoring the cries from their friends, rushed blindly at Geng Wu.


	55. Chapter 55

Sorry this chapter was late. Some relatives came over, so my week was full of activities and stuff. Sorry again.

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><p>CHAPTER 55<br>THE WARLORD

_Battle theme: Rain by SID_

Stepping into the rain, Geng Wu retained eye contact with Lin and Tigress. He saw them rushing towards him completely ignoring their exhaustion, their friends' cries, even the pouring rain with the intent of tearing him to pieces. He had seen that look on many people several times, and that was usually the last look they had when he killed them.

Still maintaining eye contact, Geng Wu readied his sword and ran into the rain, ready to kill.

Tigress and Lin seemed to be further enraged when they saw Geng Wu charge at them. They didn't even notice that the distance between them was closing and that Geng Wu's sword could reach them before either of them did. Of course, being blinded by anger and the memories of Geng Wu's crimes, they didn't care at all.

The distance between them closed, and Geng Wu slashed using the length of his sword to cover a great distance. Lin and Tigress did nothing to dodge or block the attack. Through he hate and rage that consumed them, Lin felt someone pick him up while Tigress felt someone tackle her from behind. The resulting actions caused Geng Wu's sword.

They both crashed behind him. With eye contact broken, they came to their senses and realized what they were about to do. They looked up and saw Mantis and Crane whose intervention stopped them from getting killed. They were about to thank them, but Geng Wu turned and slashed, forcing the four of them to back away.

Geng Wu pointed his sword at them and then pointed it at the others as if he was challenging them to step forward to fight him. He was already a bit tired from his previous fight with Shifu, but he still had plenty of strength left. He noticed that they all weren't looking directly at his face, leading him to conclude that Lin had told them about the Glare of Hate. But glare or no glare, he'd cut them all down without a second thought.

Suddenly, Lin charged. Geng Wu spun around and slashed covering a wide range in front of him. Lin managed to duck and continue, but Geng Wu managed to kick him in the chin. As he staggered back, Tigress brushed him aside and ran in careful to avoid eye contact. Geng Wu did an upward swipe that she backed up to avoid.

He followed this up with a quick thrust which Tigress evaded before punching. Geng Wu knocked her fist aside with his left arm before turning his sword to wards her and pulling it back cutting Tigress's side in the process. Geng Wu pulled back and slashed once again forcing Tigress to jump back to avoid it.

Geng Wu then jumped backwards and landed behind Po and his group. Readying his sword, he charged at the group; they all scrambled aside as he thrust it into their midst. When he passed them, he reversed his grip on his sword and did a backward thrust which nearly pierced Po in the chest. Before any of them could counter, Geng Wu spun counter-clockwise and slashed. Missing, he fixed his grip and ran in.

Shifu ran up wanting to end the fight between them. Geng Wu slashed with one arm and used his other arm to block Shifu's kick when he missed. Shifu then landed and backed up as the sword came down on him. Geng Wu spun and slashed; Shifu jumped over him, dodging the sword, but Geng Wu ducked and continued the slash forcing Shifu to duck once more.

This time, both groups converged on him. Geng Wu turned ran at the group Lin was in. He ducked Crane's wing as it was swung at him, turned and slashed; Crane barely avoided it. Geng Wu turned and thrust his sword into the group. Mantis evaded and ran up the length of the sword and did a jump kick which Geng Wu block with his arm.

As she passed, Tigress knocked the sword sideways and punched along with Lin. Geng Wu was pushed back but remained on his feet. Still standing, Geng Wu swung his sword at them and pointed it at the group behind him, slowing them down for a while. He then turned his blade, charged and slashed at Lin who ducked.

Geng Wu then jumped backwards as the first and second groups reunited. They charged at each other; Geng Wu slashed several times forcing everyone to dodge to the sides. He then slashed in a circle around him when Shifu and Lin dared to approach then thrust at Shifu while kicking Lin in the chest. He then saw Monkey jump towards him making him and did an upward slash. Luckily for Monkey, Crane flew in and carried him away from the sword.

While Geng Wu held the others off, Crane flew around and launched Monkey. Geng Wu leaned back to avoid Monkey's kick and then kicked. Monkey dodged it and kept close knowing that a sword of suck length was difficult to use in close quarters. Geng Wu sensed someone approach from behind, reversed his grip and thrust backwards nearly hitting Tigress. Monkey jumped at him, and he, still holding his sword backwards, thrust forward slamming the butt of his blade right into Monkey's chin.

He then ducked as Crane flew in at him and jumped back to avoid a strike from Viper. Looking at into the air, Geng Wu pulled his sword back and threw it at Crane as he flew away. The latter didn't notice the blade spinning in the air until it was too late.

With a horrible sound of steel cutting through flesh, Geng Wu's sword sliced across Crane's back making him scream out in pain. Everyone watched as he fell from the sky and collapsed on the stairs, his wing bent in a way it shouldn't be. As he struggled to get up, Geng Wu caught his sword and jumped pointing it downwards.

Before he could impale him, Viper came in and yanked Crane aside before launching herself at Geng Wu wrapping around his sword arm in the process. When he landed, she struck his cheek and slithered down to trip him, but he smashed her head with a back of his paw, knocking her off of him.

He prepared to strike but had to duck as Lin flew over him. He then blocked a punch from Tigress and jumped back as Lin did an elbow strike. Mantis leaped at him, so he slashed; Mantis managed to grab the sword and swing around it. Seeing him approach, Geng Wu delivered a backhand which collided with Mantis's pincer.

The impact halted Mantis's advance. Mantis launched himself up and ran up Geng Wu's outstretched arm going for his face, being careful not to look in his eyes. He managed to punch Geng Wu in the face; he staggered back but eventually recovered.

Po jumped in front of him an kicked. Geng Wu backed up to avoid it and slashed to the left; Po dodged the swing and punched, but Geng Wu jumped back and managed to slash to the right cutting Po's outstretched arm and drawing some of his blood. As Po pulled his arm back, Geng Wu slashed once more and made a deep cut on Po's thigh. He then kicked the panda in the stomach, knocking him flat on his back.

Seeing two of her friends taken down made Tigress very angry. She lunged at Geng Wu alongside Lin but parted when their target did a downward slash. Geng Wu then quickly slashed to his right where Lin was, but his nemesis ducked under his blade. He then raised an arm to block Tigress's kick and swung his sword at them, but they jumped over him, revealing Shifu who ran towards him.

Geng Wu ran at Shifu and did a spinning slash which the latter dodged. Geng Wu charged again and thrust at Shifu who dodged to the side. Shifu struck, but Geng Wu blocked the blow with the broad side of his sword before kicking Shifu back. Monkey, who had recovered from the previous blow came at him, and he ran to challenge him.

Monkey slid under Geng Wu's slash and in between his legs. Knowing that Monkey was behind him, Geng Wu reversed hiss grip and did a backward thrust which almost hit its mark. Monkey jumped and attempted a spinning kick, but Geng Eu pulled his sword back while Monkey was in the air, cutting his side.

Monkey dropped to the ground and clutched his bleeding side. Geng Wu turned, adjusted his grip and slashed; Monkey jumped back to avoid it and then again when another slash came in. Geng Wu sensed the others run in to help and kicked Monkey in the face making him collapse. Deciding to finish him off later, he turned and charged at the group.

Lin ran ahead of them, so Geng Wu did a spinning slash. Lin ducked and countered with a triple punch to Geng Wu's chest. Geng Wu countered by slamming his knee into Lin's stomach and the bash his head with the butt of his sword. As he raised his blade, Tigress came in and kicked, forcing him to jump back. While she helped him to his feet, the others continued on towards Geng Wu.

He slashed at them and then put an arm up to block Shifu's punch. Manits, who was on Shifu's head, jumped at him. Geng Wu was about to stab, but he felt Viper hold his sword arm down. With no other choice, Geng Wu jumped back, but Viper kept her grip on him. She slithered across his arm and struck his face with her tail. She dropped to the ground to try to trip him, but he kicked her head.

After that, Geng Wu slashed and almost hit Shifu who came in with Mantis. He dodged Shifu's punch and blocked Mantis's kick before swing his blade in a circle, forcing them to retreat. Viper recovered and leaped at him, but he caught her before she could reach him. Holding her up, he pulled his sword back ready to behead her. Mantis came to her rescue, but Geng Wu saw him coming. He punched Mantis with his sword arm while throttling Viper with his other.

Tigress and Lin charged in to help. The latter caught Shifu as he was thrown back by Geng Wu's hit and launched him at the wolf. Shifu tried reaching for Viper, but Geng Wu saw him coming and slashed. Shifu took another cut to the chest and crashed behind him clutching his bleeding chest, barely able to get up. Geng Wu then released Viper, but grabbed her tail. Using her as a whip, he struck Mantis with her, bringing him down.

Still holding Viper, he charged at Lin and Tigress who launched the former over Geng Wu. He whipped Viper at him, but Lin caught her and yanked her out of his grip. He then slashed at Tigress as she approached and then did a backward thrust to hold Lin off. He ducked under Tigress's punch and delivered to of his own to her stomach. He shoved her back and readied his sword for a stab, when Lin came in and kicked his back.

Angry, Geng Wu unleashed a flurry of slashes at his nemesis. Lin was forced to back up as each slash came; Tigress saw this and charged; Geng Wu slashed and pointed his sword backwards which slowed her down. It however gave Lin an opportunity to close in and kick. Geng Wu turned to avoid it, pointed his sword forward and thrust at him. Lin dodged to the side; Geng Wu drew his sword back, hitting Tigress's face with his elbow and dazing her in the process.

He slashed again at Lin who caught his sword arm just in time. Thinking fast, Geng Wu punched with his free arm but felt it pulled back for some reason. He looked and saw Viper, amazingly still conscious, holding his arm back. Before he could try to shake them off, he felt someone grab his legs; looking down and saw Monkey and Shifu holding his legs, making he didn't move.

He then felt Po, Crane and Mantis jump on his body, which stunned him when he knew how he took them down. The six of them managed to hold down Geng Wu movements. Trying to get out, Geng Wu craned his head in the direction of theirs hoping to make eyes contact and using the ensuing fury to break free. Seeing him do that, Lin reached out with one arm and covered Geng Wu's eyes, making him unable to use his Glare of Hate.

Still, he didn't give up struggling; his opponents were more tired than he was, but he couldn't shake any of them off. Together, the group forced Geng Wu to turn his body while maintaining their hold. They made him face Tigress who was still recovering from the blow she received. The whole world seemed to spin around her as she staggered to her feet. Then, from somewhere in her surroundings, she heard a sinlge scream.

"TIGRESS!"

Lin's yell snapped her out of her daze. Her surrounding became clearer, and she saw them right before her, holding Geng Wu at bay, his chest exposed.

She knew what to do and ran towards him; though the Glare of Hate wasn't being used, she felt memories pour into her head: Her parents, not dead and gone, but smiling and alive, meeting Lin for the first time, those times they spent together, Shifu taking her in, her first date, her first kiss, Lin leaving to fulfill his destiny, meeting Po and the others, Lin returning, him proposing to her, him making love to her...

All those happy memories fueled her actions; they reminded her of exactly what she was fighting for, the future, a bright one for herself and her family. Not taking her eyes off the one person who threatened that future, Tigress pulled her paws back. Everyone else saw her and braced themselves for the impact. With a mighty cry, Tigress slammed her paws right into Geng Wu's chest.

The resulting impact created a wave that seemed to echo across the entire valley. For several seconds after the blow, there was no sound except for the rain which still came down int torrents and Tigress's heavy breathing.

Then, Geng Wu coughed, and blood spewed from his mouth.

The next second, he gave a mighty cry. He took advantage of everyone's shock and knocked everyone back, freeing him from their hold. While everyone else collapsed around him, Tigress instead began to stumble back, unable to balance herself. Before she could do anything, she realized too late that Geng Wu was near her, his sword ready. She instinctively jumped backwards, but it was too late; he swung it at her.

A loud cry of pain startled everyone who was down. They all a looked up and saw Geng Wu holding his sword up. In front of him, Tigress seemed to be suspended in mid-air for a split second. Then, she collapsed several feet away. Her last second jump saved her life, but at a steep cost; there was a large gash across her forehead that didn't seem to stop bleeding. Weakly she raised a paw to it to try to staunch the wound. Through the pain, she saw Geng Wu standing before her, panting angrily. He raised his sword and stabbed.

The next second, Geng Wu felt something impact his back. Lin, who hadn't fallen yet, had run up and slammed the back of his fists into his back. The impact sent Geng Wu flying over Tigress and crash several feet away. He weakly got to his feet and saw Lin bent over Tigress; he raised his sword but ended up coughing out more blood.

Spitting out some remaining blood, he umped over the group and ran inside the Jade Palace to recover. Meanwhile, Lin was trying his best to stop the flow of blood coming from Tigress's wound. Thinking desperately, he tore off a portion of his left pant leg and held it up to her wound.

She winced as he applied it, but kept it held up to her. Eventually, she used her own paw to hold it in place, slowing the flow of blood a bit. Lin sighed in relief and fell backwards. For several moments, he just laid there panting, feeling his exhaustion catch up as well as the pain in his legs and the rain on his face.

Slowly, he propped himself off his elbows and looked around. Everyone else was lying on the stairs, alive but too weak to get up. His gaze turned to the Jade Palace where Geng Wu had fled to. He was still alive, which meant that they were all still in danger, that he wouldn't stop until all of them were dead.

He knew what he had to do.

He slowly rose and approached Tigress. She saw him lift her head up a bit and kiss her. She always felt so comforted, so safe and warm whenever they kissed, but his one lacked those feelings. It seemed to tell her exactly what she feared he would do.

He pulled away and looked into those eyes of her. "Please...stay here where it's safe."

Looking at him with shock, Tigress watched as he rose to his feet and slowly make his way up the stairs. "What...are you doing...?" she asked him.

For a few seconds, everything was silent except for the sound of the rain.

"...Destiny is calling me...and I have to answer it..."

Those words seemed to thrust her back into the past, to when he last said those words to her. It was when he left and didn't come back for over 20 years. This time was just like then only this time...he might not come back to her at all.

"No..." she whispered, but Lin had already turned away from her and began making his way up the stairs. She tried to get up, to stop him from doing it, but her body lacked the strength. "No..."

"Lin...you can't do this..." Lin looked to his side and saw Po struggling to his feet, but the weight on his wounded leg forced him to his knees. "You can't...fight him alone..."

But Lin continued on despite Po's discouragement. His attempt caught the attention of everyone else, and they saw him ascend the steps to the palace. "Lin...don't..." Shifu said struggling to rise.

"You'll die Lin...there must be...another way..." Viper said weakly.

"Stop Lin...Don't..." Crane said barely able to finish.

"Don't be stupid...you'll get yourself killed..." Mantis warned.

"You really...want to die...?" Monkey dared to ask.

Lin ignored all of them and slowly made his way up. Soon, he was at the top of the steps, the palace doors open right for him. He paused for several seconds and closed his eyes. He thought of his family, both dead and alive, the reason he fought, and took a step in.

"No..." Tigress said a little louder. "Please no...!"

She tried reaching for him, but he was starting to enter the palace.

"Lin...no..! Please! Please...Don't...don't do this...don't...don't go...! Lin!...Lin! Please! Don't leave me!...Lin!"

But he had already entered and shut the front doors, not wanting to be interrupted. As the doors slammed shut, Tigress felt her heart break into a thousand pieces.

"LIN!"

* * *

><p>The Hall of Warriors was a total wreck. Several stone columns had been topped over during the fight between Geng Wu and Shifu. In addition, the many displays that lined the sides of the hall were destroyed. all the weapons, paintings and artifacts laid in piles of debris and stone.<p>

Geng Wu was across the hall near the Moon Pool. He was still coughing up blood; apparently, Tigress had internally damaged him. He looked up as Lin entered the hall; Lin kept his eyes at the ground at Geng Wu's feet and watched him slowly rise.

"Neither of us...are in any condition to fight." Lin said. "When this starts...only one of us will walk away..." He clenched his fist. "I've always known that it would come to this...you and me...one on one...our first...and last duel...For the sake of my family...for the Valley of Peace...for the rest of China...for every death you've caused...I will fight you...and stop you for good!"

Geng Wu wasn't afraid of him. To him, Lin was just a fool like he was in the past, a fool who thought kindness would spare him from pain. He had seen and felt pain for years before finally realizing that rejecting kindness and decency was the only way to live, that one must make others suffer to stop doing so himself. Geng Wu wanted more than Lin's death; he wanted to crush his beliefs under his heel, to make him die and realize that he was wrong his whole life.

"So be it..." Geng Wu said standing."The greatest rivalry...in China's history..."

He pointed his sword at Lin who assumed his stance; both were ready for the fight of their lives.

"ENDS HERE!"


	56. Chapter 56

CHAPTER 56  
>THE RIVALRY<p>

_Battle Theme: One-Winged Angel from Final Fantasy VII_

Lin crossed his arms over his face and charged. Geng Wu stepped forwards and slashed at one of the remaining pillars cutting a large portion of it off. He then kicked it causing it to roll towards Lin. Lin jumped over the pillar making it crash harmlessly against the doors. He continued on towards Geng Wu who readied his sword and charged.

He slashed, but Lin jumped back; Geng Wu spun and gave another quick slash which Lin also dodged. He did this one more time before Lin charged in after dodging. Geng Wu slashed once again to the left, and Lin dodged. Thinking fast, he bashed the butt of his sword against Lin's temple. Before he could attack one more, Lin quickly delivered three consecutive punches and knocked him back.

Lin charged in after him; Geng Wu recovered and slashed to the right; Lin ducked just in time and punched, but Geng Wu caught his fist. With his sword over his head, he stabbed at Lin who turned his head to the side to avoid it. Lin used his other arm to knock Geng Wu sword arm aside before pulled his caught fist free and punching.

Geng Wu jumped back to avoid it and then quickly rushed in. He did a quick upward slash that missed and then did a downwards one followed by a thrust that cut into the side of Lin's left arm. Still in pain, Geng Wu kicked him back and chased after him.

Lin ducked the slash and countered with two elbow strikes followed by a triple punch and ended the combo with a leg sweep followed by a back-flip, hitting Geng Wu's chin and knocking him upwards. Mid-air, Geng Wu kicked off the side of a pillar and launched himself away from Lin.

He landed a few feet away and slashed missing Lin and cutting through the pillar he just jumped off in the process. Lin ran in and kicked only to be blocked by Geng Wu's arm. Geng Wu then punched, but Lin managed to deflect it. Geng Wu slashed again forcing Lin to jump back.

Lin rushed back in and did a backhand which missed. He moved into a punch which Geng Wu blocked with the broad side of his sword. Geng Wu pushed him back against a nearby pillar. Lin did his best to push away the sword that was inching closer to his neck. He also had to close his eyes as Geng Wu brought his face near his, trying to make eye contact.

Actually, that didn't seem like a bad idea for once.

Wishing that there was another way, Lin opened his eyes and looked into Geng Wu's. As images his crimes entered his head, the ensuing rage gave him enough strength to push him back. As Geng Wu stumbled, eye contact was broken, so Lin regained his senses and continued the fight.

He punched but missed; Geng Wu slashed and missed as well. Lin kicked Geng Wu's chest and was about to deliver a punch, but Geng Wu dodged it before slashing. Lin jumped back, but the tip of the sword still sliced across his chest giving him yet another wound. Eyes watering in pain, he ducked the next slash and countered with a punch that knocked Geng Wu back.

Lin continued his assault, forcing Geng Wu back into the hall. Several times, Geng Wu slashed at him forcing him to back up, but Lin remained on the offensive, slowly pushing Geng Wu back. When Geng Wu stepped back to avoid a certain punch, he felt his foot reach the edge of something-the Moon Pool.

He realized what Lin was planning far too late. He quickly slashed, but Lin ducked and punched his stomach; Geng Wu braced himself and withstood the blow before punching Lin in the face. As the latter stumbled back, he slashed, but Lin evaded it and punched his stomach with enough force to knock him off the floor.

This caused Geng Wu to fall into the Moon Pool; Lin apologized to Oogway in his head. With a loud cry, Geng Wu shouted and stood up in the pool, soaking and angry. He tried to jumped out, but Lin kicked him back in. Pissed off, Geng Wu delivered a slash that Lin dodged easily. Lin proceeded to dart around the pool dodging slash after slash.

He was really just trying to tire Geng Wu out seeing that it would be difficult to attack him like that. Geng Wu saw through that and thought up a plan to get out. He noticed that as Lin dodged, he kept his gaze low; because of his position, he would easily fall victim to the Glare of Hate. If he kept his glare up, Lin would be forced to look down, making it easier to attack him.

So he did just that; after slashing, he turned his gaze at his opponent's face. Lin immediately lowered his gaze to avoid the glare. Keeping his gaze up, Geng Wu did a downward slash that Lin didn't dodge in time. The sword cut his left side and knocked him back with a brand new wound. Geng Wu then jumped out of the pool and thrust his sword, forcing Lin to jump back.

Geng Wu chased after him and slashed to the right. After Lin dodged, he quickly slashed to the left missing once more. Lin went on the offensive and did a spinning backhand which missed. He ducked Geng Wu's next slash and managed to deliver am elbow strike followed by a backhand. Geng Wu slashed once more; Lin blocked his sword arm and punched him back.

Lin stepped forward to continue the fight, but a sudden jolt of pain from his legs stopped him. Grunting in pain, his legs wobbled, and he fell down on one knee clutching his burning legs. Geng Wu saw this as an opportunity to attack, but as he raised his sword, a jolt of pain came from his chest. He lowered his sword arm and started coughing up blood again.

For a while, the two of them did nothing but try to withstand the pain they were in. After several painful moments, Lin slowly rose to his feet and Geng Wu spat out some leftover blood in his mouth. That brief moment made both of them realize that neither of them was in any condition to fight, that only one of them would remain at the end.

"This won't...go on forever..." Lin said.

Geng Wu said nothing but seemed to agree with him. "I suppose this is a fair fight...I've lost my reflexes...And I've found a way past your glare..." Lin continued. "This is going to be decided by skill alone...no tricks...no special skills...just our own natural talents..."

"Hmph" Geng Wu said. "You remind me of the samurais of Japan... their so called honor...did not stop me from cutting them down." Lin said nothing about that.

Geng Wu recovered first and charged; Lin jumped to his left to avoid the downward slash. Geng Wu slashed again but only ended up cutting through a support pillar. Thinking that fighting near the pillars would give him an advantage, Lin lured Geng Wu in; the later slashed and slashed but couldn't hit Lin at all.

Dodging around the pillars and looking for an opening, Lin saw Geng Wu cut a portion of a pillar off and kicked it towards him. Lin hid behind another pillar, and the chunk Geng Wu broke to pieces as it smashed against it. Lin then charged and ducked as Geng Wu's sword sailed over his head and cut another pillar. He then delivered three consecutive punches and knocked Geng Wu back.

Geng Wu remained on his feet and charged. He cut through another pillar as Lin ducked his slash. He the thrust at the lynx forcing him to dodge. Lin hid behind a pillar but jumped away moments before Geng Wu's sword went right through it, almost piercing his stomach. Geng Wu slashed to the side, destroying the pillar and freeing his sword before slashing once more at Lin.

As the sword cut through the pillar he was next to, Lin realized something. He looked around and saw the remains of several pillars lying around; Only around five or six remained. He looked up realizing that the remaining pillars might not hold the ceiling up. If a portion of the ceiling collapsed, it would signal the remaining warriors of Geng Wu to attack the Valley. With everyone else injured, there was no way they'd be able to defend.

Growling angrily, Lin kicked; Geng Wu ducked over the blow and slashed. Lin jumped backwards, away from the remaining pillars. He then charged in and kicked Geng Wu's chest before following it up with a left hook and then another kick and then another left hook. Geng Wu blocked the next kick before slashing. When Lin dodged, he did two spinning slashed all missing.

He thrust and almost impaled Lin. The latter ran in and punched, but Geng Wu knocked his fist aside and punched him in the jaw before kicking him back. Geng Wu then slashed, forcing Lin to jump backward. Geng Wu slashed again, and Lin ducked before kicking his chest, knocking Geng Wu a few feet back. The latter spat some blood out of his mouth before charging back in.

Lin was starting to get tired of that sword of his. When Geng Wu thrust, Lin sidestepped and tried ti strike his wrist in an attempt to make him let go of his weapon. Geng Wu however saw this coming and did a quick spinning slash that would've cut Lin in half if he didn't jump back in time. Landing, Lin charged once more and got a punch in.

Geng Wu seemed worn down but wasn't out just yet. Recovering from the punch, he smacked Lin's face with the back of his paw before doing a spinning slash. Lin ducked and managed to strike Geng Wu's wrist, but unfortunately, he kept his hold on his sword. Thinking fast, Lin tried an uppercut, but Geng Wu leaned back and kicked him in the chest.

Lin dodged the next slash just in time. Geng then started to deliver a flurry of slashes and swipes at Lin who was desperately trying to dodge and look for an opening at the same time. Around eight slashes later, Lin saw an opening as Geng Wu readied a stab; while his arm was pulled back, Lin rushed forward and gave him a shoulder tackle. He tried kick, but Geng Wu jumped back before it hit.

Lin continued his assault by ducking under the next slash and sliding between Geng Wu's legs. Anticipating the backwards thrust, Lin remained low; as the sword went over him, spun and kicked Geng Wu's legs, knocking him off his feet. As, Geng Wu fell backwards, Lin grabbed his sword, which was still pointed backwards, and yanked it away from its master.

Feeling his weapon gone, Geng Wu tried hitting Lin with his elbow but missed. He then turned around forcing Lin to look downwards to avoid the glare. Geng seized this chanced and punched Lin int eh face. With him distracted, he scrambled to his feet and went for his sword.

Lin recovered and chased after him even diving for his legs. He unfortunately missed and had his chin smashed against the floor. Sensing an attack, he instinctively rolled sideways mere moments before the sword came down where his head was. He scrambled to his feet and backed up as fast as he could.

If he couldn't rid of Geng Wu's weapon, then he'd just have to get one of his own. The good thing was that he was in the Hall of Warriors whose walls were lined with several weapons and various other artifacts. The bad thing was that most of those artifacts and weapons were buried in piles along the walls during Shifu and Geng Wu's fight.

Geng Wu got to his feet and charged at him. Lin stood his ground and waited for him to come close enough. When he finally was, he slashed; Lin jumped over the sword, kicked of a nearby pillar and kicked the side of Geng Wu's head. The blow knocked Geng Wu down, bu he wasn't out just yet. As he recovered, Lin dashed off to find a weapon.

As soon as he reached the sides, he pulled several bits of rubble aside to find something, a sword, a mace, maybe some armor would be nice; anything that could make the fight easier. To his dismay, most of the weapons and artifacts were already broken or destroyed. He could imagine the look on Shifu's and Oogway's faces if they saw such treasures ruined, but he just didn't have time.

"Damn it, there has to be something in here!" Lin muttered frustratingly, still finding nothing.

As Geng Wu rose, Lin plunged his paws into the rubble, feeling around for anything that could be used as a weapon. Geng Wu saw his back turned and growled before raising his sword. Lin sped up his search as Geng Wu rose and charged at him.

In a few moments, he was near enough. He delivered one powerful slash at Lin head.

At the same time, Lin felt his paws encircle something long and metallic.

Without even thinking, Lin pulled it out of the rubble and held it in front of him. There was a loud clang of steel striking against steel as Geng Wu's sword was blocked by Lin's weapon. But to the surprise of both fighters, Lin didn't seem to be holding anything at all. Wide-eyed with shock, Lin looked sideways; he did feel like he was holding something, but he couldn't see it at all.

"Impossible..." Geng Wu said shocked. "...The Invisible Trident of Destiny...?!"

"I bet you didn't see that one coming." Lin said before pushing the trident upwards taking Geng Wu's sword with it. Lin then swung one of the trident's ends at Geng Wu, hitting his chest and knocking him back a bit. The latter slashed, but Lin blocked it with his new weapon.

He smirked; he wasn't used to weapons, especially ones he couldn't see, but it'll have to do. He kicked, but Geng Wu jumped back before slashing again. Lin ducked and slashed with the trident which apparently had sharp prongs because it left a cut on Geng Wu's thigh.

Lin swung it again, but Geng Wu blocked it before jumped back. He surveyed Lin who was still admiring the weapon in his paws. "I see...destiny..." he said before addressing Geng Wu. "I've always believed that my destiny was to defeat you; I doubted myself a few times wondering if it was true...But now..." he pointed his invisible weapon at his opponent. "I think it's perfectly clear to me. Destiny is on my side!"

Geng Wu wasn't impressed by his strong words. "If there is any truth to your words, then prove it." He pointed his sword at Lin. "Show my that your destiny is stronger than my will!"

"Gladly!" Lin yelled and, readying his trident, rushed in to continue the fight.

* * *

><p>By the way, I've been wanting to crack the 'didn't see that coming' joke since chapter 1. I came up with it while watching the first movie; when Tai Lung started throwing weapons at Shifu, I felt like yelling: "Throw the Invisible Trident! He'll never see it coming!" ;)<p> 


	57. Chapter 57

D'you guys know just how exhausting it is to write 9 consecutive fighting chapters? I'm almost as tired as Lin and rest of them are...

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 57<br>DESTINY AGAINST WILL

With what little strength she had left, Tigress rose to her feet and slowly made her way to the main doors for the nth time. With Lin's makeshift bandage lying unused nearby, she grabbed the handles and pulled with all her might. Despite her efforts, the doors refused to budge; after several tugs, she fell on her back and started panting.

She felt the wound on her forehead start to bleed again, but she didn't care about that. The sounds of the battle raging on inside were the only things keeping her from giving up. she didn't know who made that blow or who gave that cry of pain; what mattered to her was that Lin was in there, fighting for his life.

The others were still struggling to their feet. Only Tigress had the strength and the willpower to get up and try again. As she approached the doors, she could hear the clashing of steel against steel; Lin must've gotten his hands on a weapon. She still didn't want him to do this alone and went back to pulling the doors.

Once again, they refused to open. Angry at her lack of strength, Tigress pounded the door with her fist. "Open...Open dammit!" she yelled at it. She pounded it a few more times before sliding down to her knees. She couldn't stand it, just staying there while her love could die any minute.

"Lin..." Tigress whispered as a tear fell.

* * *

><p><em>Battle Theme: Cantata Mortis &amp; God in Fire from Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy<em>

For the nth time, the silence in the hall was broken by the clashing of Geng Wu's and Lin's weapons. Both fighters snarled at each other as they tried to push the other off. When neither of them succeed, the jumped away from each other before rushing in once more. Again and again did their weapons clash sending off sparks when they did.

Lin ducked a sword slash and stabbed with his invisible trident. When Geng Wu dodged, he swung its other end forcing Geng Wu to block with his sword. Geng Wu then slashed only to by blocked by the trident. Lin countered by shoving him back and stabbing multiple times. When those were dodged, Lin thrust one last time and knocked Geng Wu back a few feet.

Lin was starting to get the hang of his weapon. He managed to block and parry Geng Wu's attacks with it and counter a lot easier. He was fighting mainly on instinct since he didn't exactly have proper training with a trident, but those instincts were keeping him alive. The whole time he was fighting, ther was only one thing going on in his mind.

"Don't drop it! Don't drop it! Don't drop it!"

He thrust, and Geng Wu blocked. Thinking fast, Lin planted the trident in the floor, jumped, spun around it and kicked Geng Wu back. Lin pulled the trident out and went after him, slashing in the process. Geng W swung his sword at the same time causing yet another clash that sent sparks flying. The two of them slashed at each other several more times trying to reach the other.

Geng Wu thrust; Lin parried with his trident before countering with a punch which Geng Wu dodged. Lin followed up with a slash that Geng Wu ducked before giving his own slash. Lin leaned back to avoid it before slashing twice, When those missed, he didn't several consecutive thrusts which Geng Wu blocked before getting in a slash.

Lin jumped back to avoid it and ran back in. He swung the back end of his trident followed by the prongs; Geng Wu blocked both of those attacks before slashing several times. Lin held up the trident and blocked every one of them, but the impact pushed him back. Eventually, Geng Wu gave a slash powerful enough to knocked Lin into a pillar.

Lin felt the air knocked out of him upon impact. He still had enough sense to duck as Geng Wu cut the pillar down. Lin then raised his trident to block the downward slash that came next. Lin pushed the trident upwards taking the sword with it. He then kicked and swung the back end of his trident ; both blows hit Geng Wu's sides and sent him reeling.

He however managed to recover and continue his attack. Lin dodged the first two slashes and blocked the third before slashing himself. He managed to cut Geng Wu's chest, but the wolf got a slash in and cut his arm. Gritting his teeth in pain, Lin thrust, and Geng Wu blocked before slashing again. Lin parried the slash and did a downward stab which Geng Wu jumped back to avoid.

Lin went after him and performed a slash. Geng Wu did the same resulting in another clash of weapons. After that, they both thrust at the same time. Their weapons went past the other's and cut their opponent's side. Both of them ignored the pain as they pulled back and slashed. Their weapon's clashed, and they tried once more to push the other off.

Geng Wu growled as he stared to push Lin back. The latter tried to resist it as much as he could, but he was still slowly being pushed back. Thinking fast, he came up with a plan. He swiftly kicked Geng Wu in the chest, sending him flying towards the hall's left wall. As Geng Wu recovered, Lin did what he though was the craziest thing to do with his trident; he adjusted his grip and threw it at Geng Wu's chest.

The wolf however saw him throw it and jumped to his left to avoid it, causing the trident to embed itself in the wall. Looking up, Geng Wu saw Lin run over and pull the trident out before slashing at him. Geng Wu dodged the slash and countered with his own. Lin ducked the slashed and kicked; Geng Wu blocked it with his arm before punching.

Lin jumped back to avoid it and rushed back in. He thrust at Geng Wu's face forcing the latter to lean back. Lin then swung the back end of the trident at him and missed. Geng Wu thrust, and Lin sidestepped before slashing forcing Geng Wu to dodge. He then did his own slash which missed before Lin did a leg sweep that Geng Wu jumped to avoid. Landing he slashed at Lin who slashed at the same time.

To Geng Wu's surprise, his sword went through without hitting the trident; by the time he had realized that Lin was only acting like he still had the trident, Lin had ducked under the sword, moved in and kicked Geng Wu's side before giving him three consecutive punches that sent him reeling. With Geng Wu recovering, Lin ran over to his trident, which was easy to find since there were three holes in the wall, yanked it out and continued his attack.

Geng Wu raised his sword and parried Lin's slash. Lin then thrust; Geng Wu blocked it and slashed making Lin dodge. Lin then slashed at the same time as Geng Wu resulting in another shower of sparks. Their slashes became more powerful and violent resulting in louder clashes and more sparks. Eventually, the two of them were trapped in yet another deadlock.

Lin would've looked into his opponent's eyes if it weren't for the Glare of Hate, but Geng Wu kept his eyes on Lin's not to make him fall under the glare, but to see him struggle against his might with his so-called destiny. To him, his destiny was to continue living without suffering. Ever since he started destroying and killing, he never felt any kind of suffering.

Lin...He was the only thing stopping his way of life. He was a nuisance, an obstacle to get rid of...but Geng Wu couldn't help but see a younger version of himself in his nemesis. He didn't understand how Lin could've kept that spark of decency in him despite everything that tried to snuff it out. He had felt the same kind of pain he did, and yet it remained. He just didn't understand what kept him decent.

He decided not to ask about that. He broke away from the hold and did a spinning slash. Lin blocked it and swung the back end of the trident, hitting Geng Wu in the chest. Barely fazed, Geng Wu quickly kicked Lin in the chest and did another slash. Lin ducked it and blocked the second slash before thrusting. Geng Wu jumped back to avoid it, and Lin went after him.

Lin jumped over the low slash and stabbed, cutting Geng Wu's shoulder in the process. Geng Wu then slashed only to be blocked; he continued slashing mercilessly , but Lin calmly blocked and parried each of them before striking his chest with the back end of his trident. Angry that he got a hit in, Geng Wu thrust and the slashed when it missed.

Lin ducked and slashed; Geng Wu backed up to avoid it before slashing himself. Lin swung his trident at the same time and deflected the sword. The two fighters swung their weapons wildly at each other in an attempt to overpower the other. They swung so violently, they felt their weapons on danger of breaking.

With a loud cry, they slashed , and their weapons went past the other's and gave their opponents a cut in their chest. Both Lin and Geng Wu stumbled back from the hit and dropped to their knees panting. Geng Wu started coughing up blood again while Lin clutched his legs; the physical activity was reopening most of his partially healed wounds. They both held onto their weapons though in case the other decided to attack.

"So this...is the strength of your destiny..." Geng Wu wondered out loud.

Lin panted for a while. "And you will...it's stronger than I thought." he replied.

Geng Wu said nothing in reply; he raised his sword ready to strike, but Lin's next sentence stopped him. "I wonder...killing and destroying...is that really the kind of destiny you've chosen...?"

"What?" Geng Wu spat.

Lin paused for a while. "When we first spoke to each other...you told me how you used to be like me. It makes me wonder...if we were the same, why're we so different right now? We've been through different kinds of pain, but it was pain nonetheless. So...why are we like this? Why're we even enemies in the first place?"

"Because I saw the truth of this world." Geng Wu spat out some blood and wiped his mouth. "In a harsh and merciless world, one can only survive by being as harsh and merciless. When I tried living the other way...the world tore me apart; it tore me to pieces for something that was beyond my control."

"But my sufferings weren't my fault either." Lin said. "You were hated and hurt because of something that wasn't your fault. My family and homes were destroyed, and I didn't deserve that. We're alike in a lot of ways but maybe...maybe I'm just stronger than you."

"What? How dare you?!" Geng wu said with a growl. "How can you possibly draw strength from such childish and naive ideals?!"

Unfazed, Lin stood up and calmly walked towards Geng Wu, his head bowed. Geng Wu raised his sword, but Lin kept talking. "You're right; maybe my ideals are childish and naive, but weren't these ideals once yours?" Geng Wu growled as Lin got closer. "You were as childish and naive as I am now, but unlike me, your ideals were crushed so easily. That's why...you're weak."

Fed up with him, Geng Wu slashed, but Lin managed to block it. "You are weak; all of China sees you as someone to be feared, but me...I see someone hiding a whole world of pain. I see someone all alone in this world, no one to rely one...I see someone who could still change if he felt the warmth of kindness once again."

Lin shoved the sword away and walked up to Geng Wu who growled and readied another slash. Lin raised a paw and placed it on Geng Wu's shoulder. The latter felt like cringing, but he remained in place. "Let me give you...a chance to change." With that, Lin looked up into his eyes.

To Geng Wu's great shock, Lin remained calm the whole time. Before, Lin could barely see the real Geng Wu underneath all that hatred; maybe that was where the glare's power came from. But now that he understood him, he managed to look past all that and see Geng Wu as he really is, hurt, broken, lonely...

For a brief second, the grip on the sword slackened slightly.

But the second after that, the grip tightened. Geng Wu knocked Lin's arm away and slashed. The latter managed to block it, but the force of the blow was enough to push him back. "You think I want that?!" Geng Wu roared delivering another slash that pushed Lin back.

"You think those will do me any good?!" He slashed. "Mercy!?" Lin blocked but was still pushed back. "Kindness?!" Another powerful slash. "Understand?! Pity?! Forgiveness!?"

The last slash knocked Lin off his feet. He landed on his back but held onto his trident. Before he could get up, Geng Wu pointed his sword at his face. "Keep your damn pity to yourself!" he shouted. "What good would it do? Will it stop me from suffering? There is only one way for me to end my suffering- through death!"

He slashed, but Lin held up the trident and blocked it. He got to his feet and slashed. Geng Wu dodged it and did a powerful upwards slash. Lin held up the trident to block it, but the force of the slash knocked it out of his grip. They both looked up eventually hearing a thud and seeing three holes suddenly appear on the ceiling.

Thinking fast, Lin dodged a thrust and scrambled to one of the remaining pillars. Hoping that the trident was still there, he jumped as towards it before it could fall. To his relief, it was still there, but as he clasped his fingers around it, Geng Wu had already jumped up on a pillar and leaped at him. Lin instinctively raised the trident to block the blow.

When the two of them collided, the both crashed through the ceiling and tore right through it. They both ended up on the roof of the palace, separated by the hole they created. The rain was still pouring, and the thunder and lightning were are powerful as ever.

A sudden flash of lighting and a rumble of thunder brought Lin to his senses. He slowly rose and saw Geng Wu standing on the other side of the hole. Another flash of lighting illuminated the anger on his face. He then cried out in pain as his legs burned. He got to his feet, but he could barely move them.

He couldn't possibly defend himself if his legs gave way. They felt like if he ever went down again, he wouldn't be able to get up. He had to make his last stand count; he must defeat Geng Wu before he is brought down one more time.

Another flash of lighting came, and it caught Lin's attention. As Geng Wu raised his sword, Lin's eyes traveled along its length. In a split second, Geng Wu would be on his side and be able to overwhelm him. His trident was shorter than the sword; he'd surely be cut before stabbing.

He only had one option, and he didn't like it at all.

"Misha...forgive me..."

With a loud cry he charged. At the same time, the main doors were finally opened, and Tigress entered the hall. Aside from the general destruction that surrounded the area, she noticed the hole in the roof and ran up to it. A split second later, Geng Wu and Lin jump at each other ready to strike.

Time seemed to slow down between the two. Geng Wu did a downward slash while Lin did an upward thrust. This action resulted in the blade to get caught in the prongs of the trident. Lin managed to push the trident, making the sword move upwards until it was pointed high above them.

Then, there was a flash, and a bolt struck.

Geng Wu had realized this a second before the bolt hit. He let go of his sword and got only a slight sting. Lin on the other hand wasn't as fortunate. The full force of the lighting traveled down the weapons eventually reaching his body. Contact had only lasted for about a second, but in that second, about a billion volts was just sent through Lin's body.

To Tigress, all she saw a flash of light and then two shadows on the floor. Fearing the worst, she ran there as fast as she could, not knowing which of them, if any, had been struck. She could practically feel her heart pounding as the she approached what could be her worst fears.

Geng Wu was the first to appear through the hole. His paw was slightly singed as he fell eventually landing on his back. The air was knocked out of him, but when he opened his eyes. He saw his own sword spinning as it fell above him. He tired to get up, but it was too late. The sword had come down and pierced him in his upper stomach.

Around the same time, Lin showed up falling as if in slow motion. Tigress watched in horror as he fell and quickened her pace before Lin could fall. At the last second, she made a wild dive before her. She slid on her belly for a bit, but just as she stopped Lin fell down on her back.

"Lin!" she yelled pushing her off her. She looked down on him seeing his numerous scars and bruises. He now also had burns and smelled slightly singed from the lightning strike. All in all, he looked even worse than he did when he showed up after his 20-year disappearance.

"Lin! Answer me! Lin!" she yelled shaking him violently in a panic. "Lin!" She placed an ear near his chest hoping to hear his heart where she knew she was in, which held all his love, all his happy memories of them being together.

Instead, it was deadly silent.


	58. Chapter 58

CHAPTER 58  
>LOSS<p>

"No...no no NO!...LIN!"

Tigress screamed and screamed at him until her throat burned and then kept on screaming. Lin however remained still, his eyes unblinking, his chest deadly still, his heart soul-crushingly silent. She couldn't accept this; surely the bolt just stunned him, and he'd wake up any minute now.

But to her despair, he remained still no matter how hard or how many times she called out to him. All the physical pain she had been feeling seemed to have suddenly been converted into emotional pain. Several times, she placed her ear next to his chest hoping that his heartbeat was just faint instead of gone. The silence she met made her blood turn cold and her thoughts erratic.

Panicking like she never did before, her thoughts were a jumbled up mess. Trembling uncontrollably, she shook Lin violently, and yet, he was unresponsive. Her breathing was so rapid, she felt like she was in danger of hyperventilating. She couldn't believe that just hours ago, she was the happiest person alive. She held him close to her chest and looked around for something, anything, that could help him.

"HELP! SOMEONE! VIPER! HELP!"

Luckily, Viper and the rest of them were halfway there. As soon as they heard her scream in a way they never heard before, they scrambled to their feet. With some difficulty, they climbed over the fallen pillar and took in the destruction of the hall. But the sight of Tigress, wide-eyed and trembling clutching a still Lin drove all other thoughts from their minds.

Ignoring her own pain, exhaustion and injuries, Viper was the first to reach them. Tigress laid Lin before her and let her friend go over him. Tigress forced herself to stop trembling as she watched Viper go over and check Lin's vitals in case she missed any. Viper's face was fearful but at the same time, determined to find a single sign of life from the lynx.

Shifu went next to her and held onto her shoulder. Tigress looked into the eyes of her master...no-her father and saw her own fear reflected in them. She gulped and turned her gaze back to Viper. Heck, everyone did fearing the worst.

After several tense moments, Viper looked up. "Tigress...I'm sorry but-"

"NO!" Tigress yelled grabbing her. "Don't...say..." Viper sniffed as tears came to her eyes.

"T-Tigress...he's-"

She didn't listen to Viper and started screaming and shaking Lin again. The others watched this sight in shock and disbelief. This couldn't be happening; There was no way that Lin could be dead; he was just too strong, to important to them to die. And yet, there he was just lying there unbreathing, unblinking, not responding to his love's many screams and cries for him to wake up, to not leave them, to not leave her.

After screaming for what seemed like hours, Tigress stopped and resulting in panting staring at Lin who was still lying before her in a hauntingly still manner. Feeling her heart break to hundreds pieces which seemed to cut and wound her insides, Tigress buried her face into his chest and started crying her heart out. Unlike the first time she thought he died, she didn't feel herself slip into insanity. Her mind and heart weren't consumed with hatred, anger or vengeance.

No; it was sorrow, despair, loneliness, emptiness, and pain, the unthinkable pain of loosing a loved one, that consumed her.

Seeing Tigress like that broke everyone's heart. Seeing the toughest and bravest one among them crying out in pain with tears in her eyes was enough to bring tears to everyone else. Shifu gripped his daughter's arm tightly as his tears cascaded down his face; the loss of a student...his son, was too much for the old master to bear.

Viper ran to Crane who welcomed her into his wings and held her tightly as they both cried. Monkey covered his head and shook it several times unable and unwilling to admit that this was really happening. Next to Tigress, Po was crying out the loudest. There was then the sound of something being smashed; frustrated at his uselessness, Mantis kicked a piece of rubble, smashing it to pieces.

After a while, they saw Tigress clench her fists. Surprised, they saw her bring her head up; they also saw her teeth bared in what seemed like anger. She glared at Lin with tears and her eyes and somehow found her voice. "You...You..."

She grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and brought his still face near hers, startling the others "You...you idiot...you selfish...inconsiderate...deluded idiot...how could you do this to us...to me..."

She let go of him. "You...you...YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MARY ME!"

She finished her sentence by pounding his chest with her fists.

The second, she did that, her eyes widened not in shock, but in realization. How could she have been so stupid? Bawling out like she just did only wasted the precious time that could've been used to...

She didn't finish that thought and immediately got to work.

It was a good thing that his body was still warm. She straightened up her arms and placed her paws on Lin chest before pumping several times. Her knowledge on this was only minor, but it'd have to do. After counting five pumps, she forced Lin's mouth open and gave his lungs a fresh dose of air. Lin's chest rose and fell, but he remained dead. Undeterred, she started pumping his chest again, trying to restart his heart.

The other managed to get over their grief long enough to realize what she was doing. Realizing that there was still hope, they held their breaths as they watched Tigress work. But Lin had already been dead for a few minutes already; all of them, even Viper, still doubted that Tigress would be able to revive him, but they just said nothing and hoped for the best.

"Please...Please Lin!" Tigress yelled going back to breathing into his lungs. She started pumping his chest again. "Please Lin...come back to us..." She grit her teeth and fought back the tears that were threatening to spill. "Come back...please...we need you...your family needs you...Live...Lin please!"

And then...

"*cough*...*cough* *cough* *cough*...!"

The whole room froze; the only sound that was present came from the rain pouring into the all through the hole in the ceiling and the coughing. While everyone held their breaths, the coughing eventually died down, replaced by the sound of several deep breaths. After a while, Lin's eyes fluttered open, and he looked around looking slightly disoriented, instantly finding Tigress.

"If it'll make you feel better...I'll let you beat the living hell out of me..."

Tigress sniffed and raised a trembling fist. He was right; for running off to fight on his own, risking his life, getting himself killed and scaring her like that...he really did deserve a good beating. Maybe knock his teeth out, maybe break his jaw, maybe do what he said and just go all out on his already battered and bruised body.

Instead, Tigress grabbed his face and kissed him, not that Lin was complaining that he was once again losing the air Tigress worked so hard to put back into him. The next thing he knew, he was scooped away from Tigress and was giving a big, rib-breaking hug courtesy of Po. As he tried choking out a few words, the others joined them; Lin never saw any of them this happy.

After a while, Po put Lin down, but as soon as he touched the floor, his legs gave way. Tigress managed to catch him before he could hit the floor and helped him stand. He grunted in pain as he tried to stand on his own, but the pain in his legs was just too intense. "It's official; you're not doing any walking until you've recovered fully." Tigress told him sternly.

Lin sighed in defeat. "Fine...whatever you say..." he said weakly.

His reply earned a weak laugh from everyone else. It was just then that he noticed Geng Wu lying nearby, his sword still suck in him. He was still alive, but he didn't have much time left. Lin made some movement towards him and looked at Tigress. She seemed to under stand and nodded before bringing him towards the fallen warlord, while everyone else followed.

Geng Wu sensed them approached but didn't raise his head. "Here...to finish me off...?" No one responded to that. Tigress brought Lin a little closer.

"...No...I've come...just to talk..." Lin replied.

"Talk...what is left...to talk about...?" Geng Wu asked.

Lin took a deep breath. "We...we're all going to suffer in this world...Good or evil...young or old...by our hand or not...suffering...hardships...pain...they're inescapable...We can prevent some of them...but never all of them..."

"...Why...?" Geng Wu asked after a long pause. "Why must it be like this...We will suffer regardless of whose fault it is...it seems so...unfair..."

"That...I guess that's how the world is..." Lin wondered.

"Is that so...?" Geng Wu grunted in pain. "All I ever wanted...was to stop suffering...to stop feeling pain...If such...is truly the nature of this world...perhaps it would be better...if I simple left it..."

"...I agree..." Lin said taking in what he just said. "Look at me...I have these people around me...I have those...who love me...and cherish me...they gave me the strength...to look past this world's sufferings...You on the other hand...are all alone...and even on your own...you failed to find this strength..."

"So...for your sake...I think it's better off...if...you just died..."

Geng Wu felt his strength start to fade. With what little he had left, he raised his head and looked at the group before him; none of them felt the power of his glare. He wondered if he had that...that kind of strength obtained from others. It was already far too late to try to obtain that strength; closing his eyes and still wondering about what could've been, Geng Wu laid back down and quietly lost his life.

As if on cue, the rain stopped pouring. The storm clouds covering the valley parted revealing the bright and glorious sun. A shaft of warm sunlight went through the hole in the roof and shined on Geng Wu's lifeless form. His body, damp from the rain, seemed to sparkle in the sun. His face was calm and amazingly content, an expression none of them have ever seen on him before.

"...May you find peace in death..." Lin said finally.

* * *

><p>As soon as news of Geng Wu's death got out, his army freaked. Most of them tried running away to escape punishment, but were met by another force to be reckoned with-China's imperial army.<p>

"About time they got here..." Po said as they strolled out of the Jade Palace. The army was busy mopping up Geng Wu's remaining forces which was good since that non of them were in any condition to do that themselves.

Speaking mopping up Geng Wu's forces...

"Grr...LIIIIN! MISHAAA!" Mail Li yelled furiously as several soldiers tried to restrain her. She kicked and bit and lashed out, but eventually, they managed to get chains around her ankles and wrists. "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU...OH YOU JUST WAIT! YOU TWO BETTER WATCH YOUR BACKS WHEN I GET OF HERE!"

Yeah, not exactly the best thing to say when your about to be locked up in Chorh-Gom Prison. Mai Li was still flailing and screaming even as a bunch of soldiers carried her over their shoulders and tossed her into a carriage where the other members of the Sanguine Six were sitting all chained up. The soldiers closed the doors, but they could still hear Mai Li trying to break them open. When they didn't, they sent the carriage away to prison.

"Bye Crane! I'll visit when I get out of jail!" Tria said happily waving at him from one of the carriage's windows. Crane just gulped and looked a little uneasy.

"Don't worry; they'll be locked up for a long time." a helmeted antelope said approaching the group. "General Rai at your service." he introduced.

"Any news on the rest of the valley?" Shifu asked.

The general gestured around the valley. "A few dead, many injuries, some destruction of buildings, but otherwise,everything's just fine. If the rest of the army attacked, well...there wouldn't be a valley now wouldn't there?" He gave a hearty chuckle while everyone else cringed.

It was then that Tigress noticed something. Ever since they left the palace, Lin looked strangely disoriented. He kept looking around and muttering something under his breath, before closing his eyes tightly as if he was thinking intensely. She used to attribute it to him being weak from all he went through, but something just didn't seem right.

"Lin? Are you alright?" she asked. He didn't respond and just stared at her, that same look of confusion on his face. It was then that tigress knew that there was something wrong with him. She turned to the general. "Are there any doctors around?"

"Yeah. I'll take you to our one of our medics; you could all use some patching up yourselves."

* * *

><p>"Tigress, relax; you're supposed to be taking a break." Mantis said as a medic bandaged up his leg. The seven of them were currently being tended to by several medics in one of their tents. Lin had been carried away to a separate portion and was being examined by a doctor.<p>

Tigress couldn't stop pacing; her friends plus several healers kept telling her to take it easy, but she couldn't take it easy unless she knew what was wrong with him. "Lin looked fine to me." Monkey commented.

"Something...something just doesn't seem right..." Tigress said not stopping her pacing. A medic walked up to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"Relax." he said seating her down on a chair. Tigress sighed and did what she was told.

At that moment, the doctor examining Lin entered the tent, and tigress immediately stood up. With the entire room turned to him, he cleared his throat. "I have good news...and bad news..." he announced grimly.

Dread clenched Tigress's heart like a cold, iron claw. She could sense the others' tension as well. The doctor took a deep breath. "The good news is...he'll live. I've tended to his many injuries, so he should be fine. He must avoid using his legs for a few months however."

Tigress was slightly relieved, but fear still gripped her heart. "And the bad news...?" Po reluctantly asked the question they were all fearing.

The doctor sighed once again. "I'm not sure whether it's from the lightning strike or the fact that he was dead for quite some time...Whatever the case, I'm afraid...he's suffered brain damage from this whole incident; he's suffered a massive memory loss."

The others gasped and stared, but Tigress felt her body go numb. She stumbled backwards into the chain she was previously at. Brain damage? Massive memory loss? That just wasn't possible; his memory seemed fine just a while ago.

"How...how bad?" Viper dared to ask.

"According to him, his earliest memory was of himself warning you all about the attack. Everything before that day is a blank to him."

When he warned them of the attack, when he returned after 20 years, that all just happened six days ago. Everything before that...how could it all be lost in an instant? How could he lose years of happiness and wonderful memories? Tigress felt like crying again, but she sucked it up and forced herself to remain strong.

"May...May I see him?" she asked.

The doctor nodded and led her away from her friends who looked at her with concern. The two of them left the tent and slowly made their way to the one where Lin was. Tigress clench her fists tightly around her LinkStar just to stop herself from trembling. With every step she took, questions flooded her mind.

Would the lynx in that room still be the same Lin that she loved?

Lin had lost almost everything he had with her. Their first meeting, all the days they played together, their first kiss, their first date, the times they trained and fought together, sitting by the riverside together, grieving at his family's graves together, dancing together, giving her his LinkStar...those were all gone. Lin had only six days worth of memory of her. Were those enough? Were those enough to make him feel the same way about her as he always did? Does he still act like the same Lin she fell in love with even with just six days?

"...Does...Does he still love me...?"

By the time they arrived at Lin's tent, Tigress almost felt crushed by the weight of her fear and uncertainty. The doctor left without a word leaving Tigress alone. The answers to all her questions were waiting inside that tent. Clutching her LinkStar for support, she took a deep breath.

And she took the plunge.

_When you walk away_  
><em>You don't hear me say please<em>  
><em>Oh baby, don't go<em>

_Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight_  
><em>It's hard to let it go<em>...


	59. Chapter 59

I have finals again next week so...yeah. Sorry, but the next (and last) chapter will be out later.

* * *

><p><em>Opening theme: Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru.<em>

CHAPTER 59  
>MEMORIES<p>

Their eyes locked the minute she entered the tent. Lin's entire chest was covered in bandages as well as his arms and legs. His face was cleaned up, but the scars Mai Li gave him remained. His arms and legs were also taken care of by the doctor. All in all, he was a lot better than he was since his revival, physically speaking that is.

He was sitting on a bed against a stack of pillows fiddling with something in his paws. A closer inspection revealed it to be his LinkStar, something that was surprisingly intact considering all that happened, something he sadly had almost no idea of. His eyes momentarily left her face and met her half before going back to her face. They just continued to stare at each other, their minds a blur.

Slowly and silently, Tigress walked in and sat on the edge of his bed before resuming their stare-off. She was so confused; she didn't know if she should hug him or keep her distance. Looking at his face, she saw him with an equal amount of confusion and misery.

Both of them knew this meeting would happen eventually. But the anxiety of having it occupied their minds so much, neither one of them had any idea on what to say to the other. Several times, Tigress opened her mouth to say something but then closed it without making a sound.

Lin cleared his throat. "So...Po and...the others...h...how are they...?" he asked reluctantly.

"What? Oh er...they're doing well...nothing...too serious...They're being tended to as we speak." Tigress answered.

Lin nodded. "That...that's good to hear..." He paused for a bit. "Yourself...?"

Tigress opened her mouth but didn't make a sound. Physically, she was knew going to be fine, but emotionally...she felt a large mixture of feelings. There was happiness that they had all made it out of this alive, shocked and saddened about what happened to Lin, anxiety for what kind of future was in store for them, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

"I'm...I...I just don't know..." Tigress admitted looking down. "Wh...what about you Lin...?"

Lin blinked, and his eyes fell on something, the shining ring on Tigress's finger, the ring he forged himself for her. There was no way he could ever forget how mush he worked on it, on how much it would mean to her. He sighed and laid back. "It's weird...We're supposed to get married...and yet, I can't even remember when we first met..."

Tigress looked up and saw him with a very fake smile on his face. He started laughing a bit, but his eyes showed that he wasn't enjoying any of this. "As far as I know, I'm just some stranger that turned up on your doorstep six days ago."

It broke Tigress's heart seeing him like this."You...you really don't remember do you...?" she dared to asked.

Lin stopped his sad laughter and shook his head. "Oogway...does that name mean anything to you?" Tigress couldn't stop herself from asking.

He closed his eyes and thought hard about the question. "Vaguely...It's distant...I'm sorry, but I'm not sure..."

"Tenshu...Ami...Jin and Lan...?" Tigress asked again.

Again, Lin shook his head. "I...I don't know those names. Should I?"

Tigress didn't want to respond to that. "I...they..." She just couldn't bring herself to tell him who they were; how could she tell him that he had no idea who his family was? They meant everything to him, and yet here he was asking what those names meant. She wanted to be silent and spare him from feeling that kind of pain.

"Tigress..." Lin said noticing her hesitation. "Please be honest with me. Whatever pain your answer may hold, I promise I won't blame you at all."

Tigress remembered a similar conversation they had a few days earlier, the time he told her about who killed her parents. Tigress wondered if this was what he felt like when he was withholding that secret from her, when he was debating on whether to tell her or not. Lin clearly remembered that night as he was using the same words she used on him.

"You're right Lin. You deserve the truth." Tigress took a deep breath. "They...They're your family...Tenshu was your father; he taught you everything about being a silver smith. Ami was your mother; she kept this garden that we used to play in. Jin and Lan were your younger sibling; they were still so young when they died. They were all killed in a Geng Wu attack."

After hearing that, Lin felt distraught and just horrible. Having no idea who his family was hurt a lot. Judging by Tigress's words, he was certain they loved him, and he loved them back. That however was only part of his worries the other part came from how Tigress was doing.

The whole time, Tigress was speaking in a quick, shaky. She was desperate to tell Lin everything about himself, desperate to find one remaining memory in the haze that was his past. "W-we first met at my house. You stopped me from crying and told me I wasn't weak. We were friends ever since. The next day, we played by the river; your ball got stuck in a tree, and you climbed up to get it."

Lin didn't remember that at all. He was instead more concerned on how Tigress was doing, on how quickly she was speaking, on how desperate she looked as she spoke. "You fell down and broke your wrist. I hung out at your house for days until it healed. A week after that we accidentally knocked over that fruit cart-"

"...Tigress..."

"We used to get into so much trouble back then. We'd pick fights with bullies in our village. We'd make a mess when we played in your father's forge. We did all kinds of things that seemed childish but always meant everything to us."

"...Tigress..."

"I kissed you..." Tigress closed her eyes and remembered that moment. "I kissed you just because we never did the same to anyone else. And it felt...I felt..."

"Tigress..." Lin said a third time. It saddened Tigress that he never did use her real name. With pleading eyes, she looked into his.

"Lin...please...please tell me you remember..." she begged.

He opened his mouth and closed before sadly turning his gaze downwards. It was then that Tigress realized that this was hopeless. Lin's memories were really gone, irretrievable, almost non-existent. There was no way they could ever be recalled by Lin no matter how hard either of them tried.

It was also then that she put her face into her paws and despaired. She held her LinkStar and gazed into it; the very roots of her bond with Lin have been severed. What would become of them now? Would thing between them ever be the same? The aching question she had to resist asking ate away at her; did he still love him.

"Why...?" she said. "Why Lin...? Why did this have to happen to you...?"

"I...I don't know..." he replied feeling the same amount of despair she did. "Maybe...maybe..."

"Do you think this is your destiny?" Tigress asked bitterly. "Do you think...this was all meant to happen? Because I don't like this one bit."

"Tigress-"

"We been through so much. We gave each other so many happy memories. This is so unfair..." Tigress said interrupting him.

Lin looked downwards. "Do you blame me?" he asked.

"What?" she asked startled.

"I was honestly expecting to die after what I did." Lin told her. "I may have saved the valley, but at what cost? It saddens me imagining how hurt you must've felt when I died and how hurt you must feel now because of all this. I...I'm sorry Tigress..."

He bowed his head after his apology. Tigress looked at him in disbelief and shook her head. "I see that hasn't changed one bit." she remarked. "You did hurt me by dying Lin. In fact, there's still a part of me that wants beat you up for putting me through all that."

Lin winced a little but remained silent. "But this..." She gestured at him. "None of this could possibly be your fault. There was no way you could've know this was going to happen. You...you can't be blamed for this."

"Is that what you're doing? You're looking for someone or something to blame?" he asked.

"I...of course." Tigress responded in a slightly raised voice. "I'm angry and upset by this whole thing Lin; I just want to..." She gave a frustrated sigh. "What's the point...? What the point of having so many wonderful memories together...if I'm the only one who can enjoy them? I...I don't like this one bit."

"Neither do I Tigress." Lin told her. He placed a paw on her shoulder. "Look, I know we have a history together, a history that's just been torn away from me. I...I've only know you for six days but...I...I still care about you..."

Tigress suddenly felt hopeful. "You do?"

Lin nodded. "I...Yes. Tigress please, it would take two bolts of lightning to make me forget you agreeing to marry me." His eyes drifted to the side. "Three to forget _what happened afterwards_..."

That earned a stiffed laugh from Tigress. It was good to see that Lin managed to keep his sense of humor; maybe there was some hope for them after all. "You...you really remember these past few days" Tigress said.

"How could I forget?" Lin said. "How could I forget meeting them?" He turned his head towards the tent's entrance. "How could I forget my new family? How could I forget the happiest night of my life? Maybe that's why I my only memories are the most recent ones." Lin wondered.

Tigress nodded and paused for a while. "Do you think...we'll ever be the same?

"What do you mean?" Lin asked.

"You don't know anything about me Lin." Tigress told him. "Your past has been wiped out; this could be a chance for you to start anew, no longer chained by the past. You could start a new life if you wanted to..."

"Tigress, judging by what you've said so far, I seemed to have enjoyed by previous life." Lin said. "Yes, this could be a new start for me, but what if I don't want to change? What if I still wanted to live the way I always did?"

"Even with all the confusion of not knowing who you are?"

Lin nodded. "I suppose it would be nice, rediscovering myself. I just..." He hesitated.

"What is it Lin?" Tigress asked worriedly.

Lin sighed. "Tigress, the last thing I want to do is something that would hurt us both." He put a paw on his chest and spoke sincerely. "Believe me, I have...I feel something for you. I mean, it was only six days, but...it was enough to make me think about our future."

That was enough to make Tigress smile a little, but Lin had more to say. "But...I'm sorry. I don't know much about you Tigress. I really don't want to hurt you but..."

Tigress felt her spirits dampen. "I just...I'm not sure if I'm ready yet...Don't get me wrong; I would love to have a future with you, but for that to happen, we should have a good beginning. You mentioned something about starting over...Do you think maybe...we could start over...?"

Hearing that saddened her a bit. "Are you...calling off the wedding?"

"What? No. It's more of just postponing it." Lin said. "Look at it this way Tigress, this could be a good thing for you as well. We'll start this out as two people who feel a connection with one another. Think of this as...a chance for us to fall in love again."

She looked up at his sincere and kind face and saw him smiling at her. She could see in his eyes just how much she cared about her, yet another thing that hasn't changed despite his memory loss. Maybe it could work out; they'd be like they were when they were teens falling in love with each other. And when the time came, they'd both be ready.

"That...that doesn't seem like a bad idea." she told him with a small smile. "It would be nice to get to know each other again."

"Yes. That would be nice." Lin smiled and nodded. "Maybe we could go for walks when my legs heal up, maybe a few dates. That'd be lovely. So, you're alright with that Tigress?"

Tigress nodded completely sure of herself. "It might take some time, but I'm willing to do all that for you Lin." she said.

It warmed Lin's heart seeing how much she cared. Sure of herself, Tigress raised her paw and gently took off the ring he made for her. She then took his paw and pressed the ring into it before closing his fingers around it. "When we're ready." she told him.

Lin pulled his paw back and looked at the glittering ring in it. He closed his fingers tightly around it and looked into her eyes. "When we're ready." Tigress smiled at him. "Tigress, if we're starting over, can we at least start with a kiss?"

Tigress laughed at his suggestion, and that also made Lin chuckle a bit. Eventually they laughter died down, and they found themselves lost in each others' eyes, small smiles on their faces. The idea of falling in love with each other all over again, of forging new wonderful and precious memories together, was fully accepted by both of them. Ready to start this off, they slowly leaned in and readied themselves for a kiss.

Until Lin suddenly pulled out a pillow from the stack he was leaning on and threw it at the tent entrance. There was a loud thump followed by someone hitting the ground and three voices groaning and complaining about what just happened.

"Some people just don't learn." Tigress remarked as they heard three people running from the tent's entrance towards a very stern and disappointed looking Viper. She turned her head back to Lin who was smirking at her slyly. "Now where were we?"

And just like that, their lips met, and their love started anew.


	60. Chapter 60

We've finally reached the end of Lin's tale. I just want to thanks all of you who loved and supported this fic. I can honestly say that I've done well on my first non-anime story.

As of now, I'll take a little break before resuming my other fic Dissidia: War of the Digital Gods which will probably be updated in January. After that, well...I still have plenty of ideas for other fics in my head several of which are about My Little Pony (That's right; I'm a Brony. Deal with it). To all other bronies out there, expect to hear from me soon.

So, yeah. Thanks again for reading and loving what I made, and I wish you a merry Chirstmas.

* * *

><p>CHAPTER 60<br>THE TIGRESS AND THE LYNX

None of them were in any condition to do any form of training. For the next few weeks, the eight of them did nothing but rest and recover from their many injuries. The medics from the imperial army did wonders patching them up and helping them get their strength back while the rest of the army assessed the damage to the valley and the palace.

Lin got a chance to talk to the others during this time. They were all happy and relieved that he was going to be fine and that he still remembered them but still felt sorry about him forgetting everything else. He assured them that he was fine and that there was no need for them to worry. They noticed the ring missing from Tigress's finger, but didn't ask about it.

Another downside to Lin's massive memory loss also meant that all of his Kung Fu training just went down the drain and that he'd have to start from square one. As bad as that was, Po was excited to have someone ranked below him staying at the palace for a change, but Tigress told him that Lin was a fast learner and would catch up despite not having his reflexes.

Lin was eager to get back to his training, but he told them that he wanted to take two different masters. After hearing about his family's line of work from Tigress, he expressed his desire to re-learn how to be a blacksmith. Shifu was perfectly OK with that so long as he can keep up.

Several weeks of recovery later, everyone was well enough to do work except for Lin whose legs still needed time to recover. While everyone else eventually resumed their training, Lin grumbled as he remained in bed. As if to make him feel better, Shifu made him do some meditation exercises which were OK unless you did them for several hours each and every day.

These days, he stayed on a bed. They had some wheels attached to the legs of his bed, so they can wheel him around. That however led to some close calls like the time Po accidentally made Lin almost fall down the steps. It was an accident, but that didn't stop Tigress from nearly breaking Po's jaw afterwards.

Weeks later, Lin found himself alone, meditating on his bed under the Peach Tree while the others were at the Training Hall. The repetitive chants of "Inner peace...Inner peace..." was starting to get tiring. With a sigh, Lin laid down on his bed and gazed at the sky partially obscured by the petals of the tree.

Enjoying the day, Lin mused about the local goings-on. The valley had started to recover from the attack. Slowly but surely, life for its citizens was getting back to normal almost as if the attack hadn't happened in the first place.

Geng Wu had been given a proper burial, and his sword became the newest addition to the Hall of Warriors. It was also one of the only artifacts left seeing as everything else was destroyed. They had cleaned the hall up and found non of the previous artifacts left. Except for one other; Lin was there grumbling at his inability to help them clean. He had opened his mouth to ask a really stupid question but stopped himself before he could do it. Mere moments after, Po ended up asking it.

"Has anyone seen the Invisible Trident?"

Lin couldn't stop himself from answering. "No Po. No one has _seen_ the Invisible Trident. No one has ever _seen_ the Invisible Trident; in fact, I doubt anyone's ever_ seen_ the trident since its creation."

He smiled at that memory. He really did enjoy his time at the Jade Palace. They were really like a family to him, Po, Shifu, the Five, Tigress...

A gust of wind blew through the tree sending a flurry of petals through the air. Lin caught one of them dancing in the air and gazed into it. He and Tigress had really gotten closer during the past several weeks. They usually spent their free times together just talking about whatever.

She wasn't really rushing him or anything in their relationship which was good for Lin. However, he still felt conflicted about the idea of marriage. She didn't know that he spent almost every night gazing into the ring he made wondering if they were ready for something so life changing.

The wind suddenly intensified, blowing the petal out of Lin's paw. His surroundings soon became nothing but a flurry of flower petals. Lin covered his face to keep petals from blowing into it. As suddenly as the gust started, it stopped leaving Lin wondering why the weather suddenly turned freaky.

"Hello young man."

Surprised at the voice, Lin gasped and flinched. He looked around and saw someone sitting in a meditating position under the peach tree, an incredibly old tortoise. For some reason, the sight of him caused a tugging sensation at the back of Lin's head.

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?" he asked.

The tortoise gave him a calm smile. "No you don't, but I doubt my identity is what's troubling you at the moment."

Lin raised an eyebrow. "Yes; you could say that." he said lying back down.

"Hmm. So, what is troubling you then?" the old tortoise asked.

Lin sighed. "Well, it's about a girl. And not just any girl; I'm talking about THE girl if you know what I mean."

The tortoise chuckled. "It seems you're quite smitten with her."

"I am. I want to marry her but...I'm still unsure about a lot of things..."

"Such as?"

Lin paused a bit before continuing. "We've know each other for years, and I completely forgot about those times, so we had to start our relationship from scratch. After few weeks, I can see why I fell in love with her in the first place. And I do love her deeply, but I'm not sure if a few-weeks-long relationship is strong enough for a marriage."

Lin felt good about letting all that out. He looked over at the tortoise who seemed to be deep in thought. "Hmm, I understand that you want to be sure of yourself before doing something like this. But if you love this girl, why are you still unsure?"

"B-Because I wonder if it's enough." Lin said. "I've only known her for less than half a year."

"And yet, you've fallen in love with her." The tortoise waved a clawed hand at the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. "You two and this tree have more in common than you think. You both started from something small and eventually grew into something beautiful."

Lin eyed the tree. "Maybe, but it took this tree years to become as strong as it is now. I doubt we've lasted half as long as this tree has."

"And yet, you two have become just as strong." the tortoise said looking at him. "One should never doubt what love is capable of. A wonderful thing is it not? Nothing can stop it, not even death, and what it creates can last through anything this world can possibly bring."

Lin remained silent as he reflected on that. "I am not telling you to rush things; you will be ready when you are ready. All I am saying is that you don't doubt the strength of your love. If it'd a strong as you said it is, then nothing can make it falter."

Lin had really got himself thinking. "Have I...Have I been doubting how strong what we have is?" he asked out loud. Now that he thought about it, he realized just how stupid he was. What he felt for Tigress was real and powerful; how could he question it?

"I see you've come to a resolution." the tortoise said. "Whatever happens, you will love her no matter what yes?"

"Yes. Of course." Lin said lying back down on his bed. "The bond we have can withstand anything. It was wrong for me to even doubt how strong it was. I love her and I always will. Nothing will change that; nothing will ever make it waver."

Lin was smiling as he said those words happy that he had cleared any doubt. The wind began to pick up again sending more petals into the air. Lin batted a few of them away as they approached his face.

"Tigress is very lucky to have you Lin."

Hearing that stunned him. He turned to looked at the old tortoise, but he was gone. Once again, the wind died down leaving a single lower still resting in Lin's paw.

A few moments after that, he heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw Tigress approaching him. "Time to head back in Lin." She grabbed his bed and started to wheel him towards the barracks. "How was your meditation?"

"It went...well." Lin said uneasily. "Tigress, did you see anyone pass by on your way up here?"

"What?" Tigress raised an eyebrow at him. "No I didn't. Why do you ask?"

Lin turned around and looked at the slowly retreating Peach Tree. With a small smile on his lips he said: "Oh no reason."

Later that night...

He was doing it again, spending the night staring at the ring he made. The difference this time was that there wasn't a single doubt in his head. He had to do this quickly before another doubtful thought crosses his mind and get him confused all over again.

Besides, he wanted this to be the first thing he does when he walks.

His legs were properly rested, and his last check-up revealed that he could be walking any time soon. He sat up on his mat and adjusted his legs. He pressed one foot on the floor and found almost no pain at all. Taking a deep breath, he grit his teeth and forced himself up.

To his relief, he didn't collapse or anything. The pain in his legs was very light and easily manageable. He concentrated and slowly put on foot in front of the other. I was hard since this was his first time walking in weeks, but he had to do it for her.

With a grunt of effort, he put another foot in front of him and stumbled. Luckily, he put a paw on his wall and steadied himself before he could fall. Undeterred, he held onto the wall as he slowly made his way out of his room.

It took him more than a minute to emerge and enter the hallway. Her door at the other end seemed like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Still holding onto the wall, he made his way across the hall. With each passing step, walking became easier to do. By the time he was halfway there he no longer needed to hold the wall.

His steps were slow, but they got him closer and closer to her. Eventually, he reached the door to her room and just stared at it. He felt like he was unstoppable, like nothing could stop him from doing this. Determined to see this through, he slid her door open.

The action caused her to wake up from her slumber. Tigress looked around wondering what was going on and spotted Lin standing at her doorway. Upon realizing that he was standing, her eyes widened, and she quickly got to her feet.

"Lin! What...you're standing!" she cried out. "Aren't your legs still-"

"Tigress, I'm sorry." Lin interrupted. He then continued before she could say anything else. "These past few weeks, I've been doubting on what the two of us together can handle, and it's been holding me back. I just learned that we can handle whatever comes our way because what we have is unbreakable."

"These past few weeks have been the best weeks of my life. I know that because I fell in love with you all over again. What we have is real Tigress, more real than anything else in the world, at least to me it is. I was stupid to doubt it, but I don't anymore. I love you Tigress...more than anything else in the world."

On that he slowly stepped forward. Tigress moved in to help, but he raised a paw that made her stop. After taking another step forwards, Lin dropped down on one knee. Once again, he pulled out the ring he made for her and presented it; it seemed to dazzle like the sun in the moonlight.

"Tigress...Will you marry me?"

* * *

><p>EPILOGUE<p>

"We are starting in 10 minutes people! You! I need another bouquet at the altar! You! Why aren't the musicians on the right side like I said!? And where's Zeng with my tea!?"

"This is could be a good thing Crane; now you know what to expect if you get on her nerves." Lin said as Viper continued to bark out orders. Crane laughed sheepishly while the other guys sniggered. It was weird seeing them all dressed up fancily, but they pulled it off though Monkey kept tugging his collar and Po kept fanning himself in his hot suit, but they bore it for Lin.

"Maybe it was a bad idea to have her plan the wedding." Mantis remarked as Viper yelled at Zeng who brought her some tea. "Why'd you guys make her plan it anyway?"

Lin paused for a second. "We have our reasons." he answered simply. Viper caught his eye and winked at him before issuing out a few more orders.

"So Lin, anything you wanna do on your last few minutes of being single?" Po asked with a grin.

"After what you guys did at my bachelor party, I can't wait to get married." Lin said cringing at the memory. The rest of the guys laughed however at the memory.

"One minute! Places everyone!" Viper shouted. Lin tensed up upon hearing this. The rest of the guys wished Lin good luck as they took their places. Lin took several deep breaths to calm himself as he was very excited and nervous at the same time.

The place was beautiful. He was getting married in the palace arena which was personally decorated and designed by Viper herself. The entire valley was invited, and they were seated along the stands lining the arena. Any minute now, the ceremony would begin.

The musicians began to play and everyone stood up and faced the steps. Lin gulped and took a deep breath; there was no turning back now. He was starting to sweat a little and couldn't stop twiddling his thumbs around each other.

But then, Tigress appeared at the steps, illuminated by the afternoon sun. She looked absolutely stunning in her white wedding dress. Lin couldn't stop staring at her in that dress, probably because the fact that she was wearing one in the first place. Even the rest of the guys couldn't stop staring at her never seeing her in a dress.

She was being led by Shifu who carefully brought her over to Lin. He shot the latter a look so stern, Lin couldn't help but back up a bit. He looked at Tigress one last time before finally letting go of her paw. She offered it to Lin who gladly took it and began to walk down the aisle with her.

"Tigress...you look stunning." Lin said taking in her appearance.

She grinned at him. "Yes well, I you better enjoy this Lin. This is the only time you'll ever see me in a dress."

"Oh don't worry Tigress; I enjoy seeing you in this dress." Lin leaned in and spoke quietly in her ear. "Although, I think I'll enjoy it more when I take it off..."

In response, Tigress lightly elbowed him. "I take back everything I used to think Lin. You are a pervert."

To that Lin just laughed. Few moments later, they arrived at the end of the aisle where an antelope stood. The music stopped, and Lin and tigress stood before him fingers lock with the other's, ready to be joined for the rest of their lives.

"Citizens of the Valley of Peace, we are here today to unite two lives, two souls, two destinies." the antelope said. "These two standing before me have been through hell and back." The couple tightened their grip on each other. "But despite all they've encountered, they are here with us, ready to be joined for the rest of their lives."

Watching from the crowd, Viper sniffed and wiped a tear away. "Before I join these two, I think they have something to say to each other."

At that point, Tigress and Lin faced each other still holding each other's paws. Lin cleared his throat and spoke first. "I want to repeat to you what you said when you were asked about me. Tigress...you're my everything. And that means a lot to someone who lost everything he once knew."

"I'll admit that I'm still sad that my past is gone...but I know that the love I received during that time is still within me. The loved you gave me back then grew and led me to where I am at this moment. I'm willing...to forget about my worries about the past and instead focus on the present, on every minute I spend with you which is, has been and will always be the greatest moments of my life. I love you Tigress more than everything, and being called your husband is the greatest thing I can be called."

After that, the crowd cheered. Po then bawled loudly and accepted a tissue offered by Mantis and blew his nose. After a minute, they calmed down. Tigress paused for a while before beginning. "Lin...on the day we first met, you told me how strong I was even when I felt like I couldn't do anything. And on that day, I was already the happiest person in the world."

"I know what it's like not knowing who you were or where you came from, but just as you said, the what happens now matters more. And as of now, I'm about to become the wife of the kindest, sincerest and most thoughtful person I know. I honestly can't imagine anyone else I'd want to spend the rest of my life with. I love you Lin, and I'll say it again; you are my everything."

More cheering followed that. Tigress and Lin gazed at each other as the antelope called a small rabbit carrying two rings forged by Lin himself. Taking the rings, Lin and Tigress placed on the other other's finger earning even more cheers from the crowds. They smiled at each other one more time before facing forward.

"I won't delay things any further." the antelope said. "Do you Lin take Tigress to be your wife and stand by her side for the rest of your lives?"

"I'm sorry; was I unclear earlier?" Lin asked which made everyone else laugh. He sighed. "Of course I do."

"And do you Tigress take Lin to be your husband and return to him the love he has given to you?"

"I do." Tigress answered simply.

"Well then, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

And to Lin, it about time. Lin lifted his wife's veil before kissing her, something he had been dying to do since he first saw her. Almost instantly, the two of them were enveloped in wild cheers and flower petals. The kiss lasted for about half a minute.

When they had their fill of each other, they turned to the crowds and beamed at them. They began to walk down the aisle together while being showered with more flowers. When they reach the end of it, they stopped. Tigress took the bouquet in her paws and tossed it over her head.

"MINE!" Viper screamed as she launched herself into the air. She managed to snatched the bouquet away from dozens of other girls and landed away from them. She gave it a sniff and waved it at them tauntingly before slithering away.

Tigress and Lin both laughed when they saw this. They turned to each other and shared one more kiss. Their paws in the other's they almost never wanted to let go.

* * *

><p>Later that evening...<p>

"OK guys. no peeking."

"You better not be leading us off a cliff or anything." Tigress said sternly.

"What? No; we'd never do that." Mantis said. "Trust me, you guys are gonna love this."

"Is this anything like your dad's gift Po? He gave us a life's worth of coupons for your shop." Lin said following them blindly with Tigress.

"OK we're here. You guys can look now."

Th newlyweds removed the blindfold they were told to put on and stared before them. Standing before them was a bamboo cottage that looked liked it had only recently been built. Leading up to it was a pathway that deviated from the usual path to the barracks. While everyone else grinned, Tigress and Lin just stared at it, their jaws hanging.

"Is...Is this for us...?" Tigress asked in disbelief.

"You got that right." Po said to his stunned friends. "We thought you guys might a place to yourselves now that you're married and all that. So we all had this little thing made; you guys like it?"

The couple was still staring at their new home. Eventually, Lin went over and scooped up Tigress in his arms, surprising her a bit. Carrying her bridal star he looked at them, Shifu, Po, Mantis, Monkey, Viper and Crane, his family and felt a sudden rush of affection for them.

"You guys are the best." Lin told them as he carried his wife to their new home. The rest of them smiled and waved at them as they explored their cottage.

Still carrying Tigress, Lin pushed the door open and entered his new home. The design was relatively simple; a sitting room, a bathroom and a door leading to the bedroom were what they found, but, knowing that it had been made for them by their friends, it was just perfect.

Lin brought Tigress over to the door at the end of the room and opened revealing their room. The bed was in the middle of the room next to a window that provided both of them with a wonderful view of the valley. Laughing and grinning from ear to ear, Lin tossed Tigress onto the bed and jumped in with her.

For a long time, they just gazed into each other getting lost on each others eyes. Lin took a deep breath. "Tigress...all of this...it's just to good to be true."

"I assure you Lin; this is all real." she replied taking his paw and holding it in hers. "We really did just get married. This really is the start of a new life for us."

"I know that. It's just..." He didn't finished and just sighed still feeling elated from all that just happened. "I'm just happy that after all we've been through, we still found joy in each other."

"You don't need to worry about our lives in the past Lin; neither of us have to." She smiled at him, and he pulled her close to her. Tigress felt his strong arms wrap around her and sighed content with her life. "We have a new life together; I know it won't be easy, and that it's not perfect, but whose life is anyway? I'm happy to say that no matter what, I'll always have you.

Tigress was completely right. His past still remained blank and his future was still uncertain. Sufferings and pains were inevitable no matter how much he wanted to live without them. Holding his wife in his arms, he knew that someday, he'd have to face those suffering and pains and do his best to overcome them. This was his life, difficult, full of joys and pains and far from being perfect.

And yet...he wouldn't give it up for the world.

THE END


	61. Question

Guys, be perfectly honest with me. Lin is a Mary/Gary Sue isn't he?


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